Durban - The Durban-based Sanca alcohol and drug centre, which has helped thousands of people fight their addictions for 60 years, is now in a desperate battle for its own survival.
“We are in a critical phase. There is no money in the bank,” said a worried Ishara Poodhun, director of the organisation.
The South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence’s plight reflects the “grave” financial crisis facing other non-government organisations in the country, although the Durban organisation’s problem comes at a time when the alcohol and drug problem in the schoolgoing population has reached “alarming” proportions - and continues to escalate.
“We are just living hand-to-mouth. Our problems are growing and the money is getting less and less,” Poodhun said.
“In the past, we could absorb any shortfalls. Now, things are very difficult,” she said.
Some staff have quit, not because they wanted to, but because the salary situation is so uncertain, she said.
Instead of getting paid early in December as normal before the festive season, staff only received half their salary in December and the other half in January.
Poodhun, chairman Jack Daya and Walter Petersen, the manager of the many prevention services offered by Sanca, were asked if staff would be paid this month.
“It is our passion for the job that keeps us going,” Petersen replied.
With a long history of providing a good service for people addicted to drugs and alcohol, as well as gambling, and determined not to slash those services, Sanca has now launched an urgent appeal to the public for funding.
“It will be very sad if we cannot get some kind of support from the public to sustain our services.
“But the reality is if we do not, we will have to curtail services, and the other option is that we will have to consider closure,” Poodhun said.
Daya said the organisation was fighting “tooth and nail” to prevent that. “But time is running out,” he said.
Sanca Durban has three areas of service: in-patient treatment for children and adults at the Lulama Treatment Centre in Vause Road, which is followed by 23 months of aftercare; outpatient clinic services; and prevention services, with the area served covering Mandini on the north coast to Umkomaas on the south coast to Cato Ridge inland.
“That’s rural, urban and informal settlements. Our services cover people from the womb to the tomb,” Petersen explained.
The Lulama Treatment Centre building is decades old and the structure and furnishings are in urgent need of renovation and replacement. However, there is just no money to upgrade the centre.
The vehicles are old and need replacing, but there is no prospect of that happening.
The organisation gets its funding from individual donations and the Department of Social Development, with medical aids meeting the costs for in-patient treatment for the people who have medical aid.
“But a lot of people do not have medical aid, and we have to write those costs off as we do not turn people away,” Poodhun said.
And not everyone can afford the fees - which are based on a means test - for outpatient programmes either.
The Department of Social Development provides subsidies, but these do not meet the costs or Sanca’s expectations.
The organisation has also been told to become more self-sustainable.
There is no funding from the Department of Health.
Medical aid payments and the government subsidies sometimes arrive late, resulting in the late payment of salaries.
Donor funding is dwindling and Sanca has to compete with other organisations trying to raise funds.
“Our organisation is not as appealing as others, as some people believe the problems facing the people we serve are self-inflicted,” Poodhun said.
“Yet our service is very important. We are making a valuable contribution to society. Our programmes are aimed at getting people to become well adapted members of society, to contribute positively to the labour market and economy.”
There was an indisputable link between substance abuse and crime - and Sanca’s programmes had a direct impact on the reduction and prevention of crime.
“We also offer a diversion programme to people referred by the courts for treatment of chemical dependence,” she said.
Poodhun and her team are hoping that the business community answers the appeal for funds as part of their community initiatives.
* To get in touch, contact Poodhun on 031 202 2241. The Sanca bank details are: Standard Bank, Overport Branch; code 043826; account number: 250547619.
Daily News