Official reply:
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION 1658/2012
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
Date of publication on internal question paper: 15 June 2012
Internal question paper no: 18
1658. Ms E More (DA) to ask the Minister of Social Development:
(1) Whether her department has a responsibility to inspect (a) registered
and (b) unregistered rehabilitation centres; if not, why not; if so,
how often must inspections take place;
(2) whether her department employs inspectors to ensure that norms and
standards are implemented at each drug rehabilitation centre; if not,
(a) why not and (b) how does she intend to ensure that norms and
standards are adhered to; if so, (a) how many inspectors are there,
(b) on which dates were inspection visits made to each drug
rehabilitation centre and (c) what were the findings in each case?
NW1993E
REPLY:
1(a) Yes, in terms of section 12 of the Prevention and Treatment for Drug
dependency Act No, 20 of 1992 the Department of Social Development has
the responsibility to inspect registered rehabilitation centres.
(b) No, the Department of Social Development does not have the
responsibility to inspect unregistered rehabilitation centres because
the Prevention and Treatment for Drug Dependency Act 20 of 1992
prohibits any person from operating a rehabilitation centre if it is
not registered in terms of section 9 (1) of the Act.
2 (a) No, the Department of Social Development does not employ inspectors
for rehabilitation centres. Section 12 (1) of the Prevention and
Treatment for Drug Dependency Act, No 20 of 1992 however prescribes
that, â a social worker, medical officer or any other person
authorized thereto by the Director-General, or any magistrate, may,
and shall if so directed by the Minister, enter any registered
treatment centre, registered hostel or institution or place referred
to in section 9 (1) or 11 (1) and inspect that registered treatment
centre, registered hostel, institution or place and the books and
documents appertaining thereto and any patient or person detained or
accommodated therein or cause such patient or person to be examined by
a medical officer or psychiatristâ.
(b) Currently, the norms and standards for in-patient and out-patient
treatment centres are not mandatory. In order to ensure that the norms
and standards become mandatory, the Department developed the Prevention
of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act, No 70 of 2008 and the
Regulations to operationalize the Act. The Act will become operational
before the end of the 2012/13 financial year after it has been
proclaimed by the President and the Regulations promulgated by the
Minister of Social Development.
During 2011/12 financial year, the Department facilitated
implementation of the norms and standards for both in-patient and out-
patient treatment centres in all provinces. The Department will monitor
implementation of the norms and standards for in-patient and out-
patient treatment centres in four provinces during 2012/13 financial
year and other provinces in outer years.
a) Not applicable.
b) On 27-28 October 2009 and 14-15 April 2011 the Director âGeneral
authorized a team of officials to conduct inspection at Noupoort
Christian Care Centre in the Northern Cape Province.
c) The Department is not in a position to make the findings of the
inspection conducted at Noupoort Christian Care Centre available at
this stage because the matter is under judicial consideration and
therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere