The fight against drug use
JOHANNESBURG - As the world marks World Drug Day, officially known as the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the spotlight is glaring on a global crisis.
It's looking at the devastating impact of substance abuse, particularly across African communities.
The drug crisis continues to tear apart families, schools, and communities with terrifying consequences. But there's hope: the World Changers Candidate, a South African non-profit organisation, is confronting this head-on, working at grassroots level to tackle addiction and its cruel ripple effects.
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IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
How South Africa's youth unemployment fuels sexual exploitation and gender-based violence among young women
A recent study by the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA) has unveiled the troubling reality that young women are increasingly vulnerable to gender-based violence and mental health crises, exacerbated by economic hardships and social media trends influencing dangerous relationships with older men. Image: Supplied Gender-based violence (GBV) is a serious concern in South Africa, especially for university students. Image: Supplied South Africa's youth unemployment rate, reported at 62.4%, has heightened the vulnerability of young women to gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). This alarming statistic is closely tied to rising rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and psychosis, often driven by substance abuse linked to transactional sex resulting from limited employment opportunities. This is according to the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA), following a study presented by Clinical Psychologist Sibongile Sibanyoni, which revealed shocking evidence that economic hardship, gender inequality, and social media trends are driving the "blesser/blessee" relationships between older men and young women and girls in South Africa. While politicians and some in the private sector ponder the country's economic hardships due to high levels of unemployment, NSMSA National Coordinator, Anisa Moosa, stated: 'Our biggest concern about these blesser/blessee relationships is their contribution to gender-based violence. The dependency of a young girl on a grown man is dangerous, not only for her physical well-being but psychologically too.' Early this month, the Quarter 1 2025 quarterly Labour Force Survey from Statistics South Africa reported that youth unemployment has risen by over 10 percentage points in the last 10 years, indicating that young people aged 15-34 face an unemployment burden of 46.1%, which has gone up from 36.9% recorded in 2015. This comes as Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie recently courted controversy when he said that the country's unemployment rate, which was 32.9% for the first quarter, would be closer to 10% if self-employed people and those working in informal markets were counted. Last month, Sibanyoni, who presented her research findings in a webinar hosted by the NSMSA, indicated that 82.8% of young African women in impoverished areas were engaging in sexual relationships with older men, adding that there is reliable evidence of psychological impact on some of them. Her findings are also backed by a 2017 Wits University study by Oncemore Mbeve, a doctoral researcher in the African Centre for Migration and Society whose study, titled, "Understanding transactional sex among young women in South Africa: a study based in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces", linked transactional sex with limited economic opportunities among women in South Africa and other parts of the continent. "Transactional sex in young women in Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, is rife, and financial constraints are a major driver. Quantitative studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa suggest that young women who are involved in transactional sex are nearly two or more than three times vulnerable to HIV. The young women are involved in transactional sex with older men to access financial needs for survival as well as for purposes of consumerism." Sibanyoni's study also uncovered that there is a common thread of early relationships with absent or unreliable caregivers that influences an individual's ability to form and maintain emotional bonds in adulthood. The lack of financial dependability on caregivers causes the young women to develop a dependency and need for security. Reacting to the insights from the NSMSA and Sibanyoni's findings, Siyabulela Monakali, spokesperson for Ilitha Labantu, an anti-GBVF movement, confirmed a "devastating and heartbreaking" link between high levels of youth unemployment and transactional sex. Monakali stated that this has made the situation unbearable for women and young girls. "South Africa's youth unemployment rate, currently at an alarming 63.9%, according to Stats SA, creates a harsh reality for many young women and girls, especially in townships and vulnerable communities. Without access to economic opportunities, they often face the impossible choice of relying on transactional sexual relationships to meet their basic needs. "What is deeply troubling is that perpetrators are fully aware of this vulnerability. They exploit young women's desperate situations, using their economic power to control and manipulate them. This is not a matter of choice or agency. It is a reflection of systemic failure to provide the economic and social safety nets that young women deserve," he said. Sibanyoni indicated that her research was influenced by social media trends amid the rise of the blesser culture over the last few years. "I was also intrigued by the use of the hashtag #blessed on social media platforms such as X and Facebook. I began to wonder who was 'blessing' the lifestyles of these young women. When I discovered that 'blessers' were financing or 'blessing' young women, I became curious about the psychological effects of these intergenerational sexual relationships (blesser-blessee relationships). This curiosity drove me to explore the phenomenon more deeply and gain a comprehensive understanding of its impact." Cape Argus
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Ignoring sexual health costs South Africa $34bn, and counting
South Africa's failure to adequately invest in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for young people is costing the nation a staggering $33.7 billion. Image: Lebohang Mashiloane/Supplied A DAMNING new report by UNAIDS revealed that South Africa's failure to adequately invest in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for young people was costing the nation a staggering $33.7 billion (about R599bn) over a cohort's lifetime, equivalent to 10.1% of the country's annual gross domestic product (GDP). The report, titled The Cost of Inaction and funded by the Swedish government, painted a grim picture of how policy failures in adolescent health were creating long-term economic consequences that far outweigh the costs of intervention. The numbers told a devastating story. South Africa's cost of inaction on youth SRHR exceeded the country's entire annual education budget and was more than double its health budget. 'For every R100 spent in the country over a year, the cost of inaction on youth SRHR is equivalent to R8 in financial outlays paying for the effects of the lack of SRHR services, or opportunity costs of future value and income foregone,' the report stated with alarming clarity. This economic burden manifested across three critical areas: early pregnancy, HIV transmission, and gender-based violence (GBV) — each creating ripple effects that extended across generations. The report revealed that one in three South African girls who would fall pregnant during adolescence dropped out of school, with catastrophic consequences for their earning potential. A girl who completed secondary school would earn 3.1 times more annually than one who dropped out, creating a lifetime earnings gap of about $150 198 per individual at present value. The situation was particularly dire because adolescent mothers faced multiple disadvantages. 'They are less likely to complete secondary school and more likely to have a higher fertility rate, with more negative health outcomes,' the report stated. The children of teenage mothers also suffer, being more likely to experience poor health, educational challenges, and economic hardship, perpetuating intergenerational cycles of poverty. The Health Department confirmed receipt of questions from the Sunday Independent, but did not respond by the time of compiling this report. The Department of Social Development also did not respond to questions by the time of compiling this report. While the UNAIDS report highlights significant gaps and costs associated with inaction, it is important to note that the South African government has, in recent years, made substantial new investments in health and social development, particularly since the 2025/26 national budget. In May this year, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the total health budget would rise from R277bn in 2024/25 to R296bn in 2025/26, with a projected increase to R329bn by 2027/28. This expanded allocation is specifically aimed at strengthening public health infrastructure, improving access to chronic medications, and addressing critical staffing shortages. Notably, an additional R20.8 billion over three years is being used to employ 800 post-community service doctors and 9 300 healthcare professionals in public hospitals and clinics, a move intended to address the chronic shortage of medical staff and improve service delivery in underserved areas. Further, more than R6 billion has been allocated for strategic health infrastructure projects, including the construction and refurbishment of hospitals and allied health facilities, with the aim of reducing disparities in access to tertiary care. The government is also maintaining and increasing funding for the central chronic medication dispensing and distribution programme, which now benefits an estimated 40% of antiretroviral treatment (ARV) clients by improving access to chronic medications through alternative pick-up points. In addition, R9.9bn has been earmarked for the rollout of National Health Insurance (NHI), reinforcing the government's commitment to universal health coverage and improved access to essential health services. While South Africa had made progress in HIV treatment, the disease continued to take a heavy toll on young people, particularly adolescent girls and young women who accounted for a disproportionate share of new infections. The lifetime cost of HIV for young South Africans aged 15-24 totalled $11bn, with young women bearing the brunt at $8.2bn compared to $2.7bn for young men. 'A delayed HIV diagnosis results in the delayed start of antiretroviral therapy, with negative impacts on a person's health and higher long-term treatment costs,' the report cautioned. The economic impact extended beyond healthcare, as people living with HIV faced reduced productivity and earning potential. Perhaps most shocking were the figures on GBV, which cost South Africa $12.4bn per cohort of young women aged 15-24. This includes direct costs to survivors ($11bn), government expenses ($224 million), civil society costs ($387m), and business impacts ($796m). 'GBV has serious consequences for women's physical health, as well as their sexual and reproductive health and mental health,' the report found. 'It is also a fundamental violation of women's human rights and has adverse economic and social consequences for men, women, their children, families and communities.' The report highlighted how GBV intersected with other issues — survivors were at higher risk of HIV infection, and women with less education faced greater vulnerability to violence. 'The prevalence of physical violence was greater among less educated women than those with secondary education or higher,' the report noted, drawing on 2016 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data. Health sector experts, including researchers from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), have acknowledged that the 2025 budget boost signals a government that is responding to dire public health needs, particularly for the more than 80% of the population reliant on public health services. They highlight the increased investment in human resources for health, early childhood development, and social grants as positive steps. However, they also stress the need for strong accountability measures and efficient translation of these funds into improved health outcomes. Despite these substantial investments, experts and civil society organisations continue to call for further improvements, including enhanced accountability, more robust monitoring and evaluation, and greater focus on addressing the root causes of health disparities. The government itself has acknowledged these challenges and has committed to ongoing reforms and targeted spending to address them. The report identified several critical areas where government action (or inaction) was exacerbating these problems: The Education-Health Divide: A persistent lack of coordination between the health and education sectors undermined efforts to provide comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). 'This divide needs to be overcome so high-quality, evidence-based, comprehensive sexuality education can be provided both in and out of school to young people,' the report stated. A persistent lack of coordination between the health and education sectors undermined efforts to provide comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). 'This divide needs to be overcome so high-quality, evidence-based, comprehensive sexuality education can be provided both in and out of school to young people,' the report stated. Inaccessible Youth-Friendly Services: Despite legal provisions allowing adolescents to access contraception, many faced judgmental healthcare providers. 'Health care providers believe that young women should not be having sex before marriage,' the report found, leading to limited contraceptive options and missed opportunities for prevention. Despite legal provisions allowing adolescents to access contraception, many faced judgmental healthcare providers. 'Health care providers believe that young women should not be having sex before marriage,' the report found, leading to limited contraceptive options and missed opportunities for prevention. School Retention Failures: While policies existed to allow pregnant learners to remain in school, implementation was inconsistent. 'Only a few schools have formal or effective mechanisms in place to offer opportunities for girls to catch up on missed work,' the report noted, with 33% of pregnant girls not returning to school. The report outlined clear, actionable solutions that would more than pay for themselves through economic benefits: Integrated SRHR Services: Combining HIV prevention, contraception, and GBV services in youth-friendly spaces could dramatically reduce costs. The report highlighted successful models such as the O3 Programme that linked schools with health services. Combining HIV prevention, contraception, and GBV services in youth-friendly spaces could dramatically reduce costs. The report highlighted successful models such as the O3 Programme that linked schools with health services. Comprehensive Sexuality Education: 'School-based CSE, when delivered effectively using engaging and interactive game-based methods, empowers young people to make informed decisions about relationships,' the report stated. This required proper training for educators and collaboration with health providers. 'School-based CSE, when delivered effectively using engaging and interactive game-based methods, empowers young people to make informed decisions about relationships,' the report stated. This required proper training for educators and collaboration with health providers. Economic Support for Young Parents: Programmes that helped adolescent parents complete their education, including childcare support and flexible schooling, could recover millions in lost earnings potential. The report cites Nacosa's successful peer education and remedial teaching initiatives. Programmes that helped adolescent parents complete their education, including childcare support and flexible schooling, could recover millions in lost earnings potential. The report cites Nacosa's successful peer education and remedial teaching initiatives. GBV Prevention Investments: Community-based programmes such as Stepping Stones and Sonke Gender Justice's One Man Can campaign have proven effective at changing harmful gender norms. The report called for scaling these interventions alongside clinical services for survivors. The report's conclusion was unequivocal: 'Business as usual is not going to work. Different approaches are needed to generate change.' It challenged policymakers to view SRHR not as an expense, but as an investment with measurable economic returns. 'Understanding the cost of inaction helps to re-evaluate current approaches,' the report stated. 'Costing activities, including the cost of inaction in the cost-benefit analysis, will enable appropriate investment decisions for activities that provide real change, both now and also in the health and economic livelihoods of the next generations.' For South Africa, the choice is clear: continue paying the astronomical costs of inaction, or invest strategically in the health and rights of young people to unlock their full economic potential. The numbers show there's only one fiscally responsible option. Get the real story on the go: Follow the Sunday Independent on WhatsApp.
eNCA
a day ago
- eNCA
Launch of new rehabilitation model
JOHANNESBURG - The 26th of June marks International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, a day aimed at raising awareness about the devastating impact of substance abuse and the importance of effective recovery strategies. In response to the growing demand from individuals struggling with addiction, the Centre of Transformation developed a holistic rehabilitation system more than a decade ago. The Centre treats addiction as a symptom of intergenerational trauma and focuses on long-term healing rather than short-term fixes. Curt van Heerden, CEO of the Centre of Transformation, says traditional rehabilitation models often fall short. 'We need to create new neural pathways in the brain, and that takes up to 3 to 9 months.' he said. Van Heerden added that the current system is broken because it relies heavily on 30-day programmes, which he believes are inadequate for lasting recovery.
