THE FUTURE OF TREATMENT CENTRES: A DIGITAL APPROACH

By Cuma Pantshwa

• With substance abuse devastating communities and fuelling crime, treatment centres must evolve with the times to ensure that their services are efficient, transparent, and accountable.
• The Department of Social Development, with the Integrated Justice System, is rolling out a digital case management and surveillance system for treatment centres to enhance the fight against substance abuse.
• The move to the new system is more than a technological upgrade; it is a strategic move to strengthen social services around this complex issue.

The Department of Social Development, in collaboration with the Integrated Justice System, is leading the charge in modernising social services with a nationwide rollout of a digital case management and surveillance system for treatment centres to improve service delivery and enhance the fight against substance abuse.

In October 2024, during The World No Alcohol Commemoration, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime called for urgent action and comprehensive strategies to address South Africa’s growing substance abuse crisis.

According to the South African Medical Research Council liquor is the most misused drug in South Africa, with a liquor outlet for every 190 persons in South Africa. The per capita consumption of alcohol in South Africa is 11 litres, with the country ranking in the top 20 for per capita alcohol consumption worldwide for individuals drinking alcohol.

With substance abuse devastating communities and fuelling crime, treatment centres must evolve with the times to ensure that their services are efficient, transparent, and accountable.

On 7 March 2025, social workers, data capturers, non-profit organisation managers, and child and youth care workers attended an in-depth onboarding session to familiarise themselves with the new digital system. This system replaces paper-based case management with an efficient, integrated digital platform.

The transition is more than just a technological upgrade, it is a strategic move to strengthen social services around this complex issue.

“It’s going to take us from zero to a hundred,” said Joan Didimalang, the social policy work manager from the North West Department of Social Development.

“This system is going to give me a view of what is happening in all pockets of the province.

“What excites me about the tool is that using the system confirms that we are serious about our jobs, and that’s what the people here should understand,” Didimalang added.

In her opening remarks, the deputy director of substance abuse policy at the Department of Social Development, Vathiswa Dlangamandla, highlighted the importance of collecting data across the country to strengthen treatment outcomes and improve service delivery.

She encouraged those in attendance to adopt the digital solution, citing that the Integrated Justice System successfully built and assisted the department with the setting up of the platform.

“The Integrated Justice System recognised the need for us to have a comprehensive, data-driven approach. We needed a system that could help us improve the way we deliver services. That’s where the Integrated Justice System came on board.”

Dlangamandla also noted the impact of the system within the broader policy framework guiding South Africa’s response to substance abuse.

She emphasised the National Drug Master Plan, which is currently under review, the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act, and the policy on the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Use Disorders as key legislative tools that guide the country’s approach to prevention, treatment, and reintegration.

“As we implement this system, it is important to align it with our national policies and legal framework to ensure that our interventions are effective, evidence-based, and legally sound,” Dlangamandla said, highlighting the significant role of data in shaping policy development and programme implementation.

“Through this Integrated Justice System technology, we can analyse data across the country, so we can better inform our policies, improve our programmes, and enhance intervention strategies.

“This system will allow us to strengthen the treatment data we have and, in turn, lead to better treatment outcomes for service users,” she added.

Addressing the participants, the project manager at the Integrated Justice System, Vuyokazi Mzimba, emphasised the overarching goal of the national substance abuse system, to ensure that all service points across South Africa use a centralised digital platform to address substance abuse effectively.

She also acknowledged that users might experience an initial learning curve but reassured them that a comprehensive support structure is in place to assist them.

Ultimately, the system is expected to enhance efficiency in social protection services and foster a more integrated approach to managing substance abuse nationwide.

The interactive training allowed for real-time testing of the system.

With the attendees on their laptops and mobile devices, they assessed the system’s features and usability, discussing areas of improvement and how it could be enhanced.

Recommendations included improved referral mechanisms for hospitals and mental health facilities. The project team assured attendees that the system is designed to evolve, with ongoing improvements and enhancements based on user feedback and emerging needs in the field.

The project developers addressed connectivity concerns, especially in areas affected by load shedding and poor network coverage and reassured social workers that the system is designed to function offline.

A key feature earmarked for future developments will be its integration with other government departments, including the South African Police Service, the South African Social Security Agency, and the courts.

This will allow for seamless collaboration between social development and law enforcement agencies, particularly in cases where substance abuse intersects with crime and social welfare.

By bringing together data from different sectors, the system will ensure a more coordinated national response to social challenges.

In closing, Dlangamandla told participants that this digital transformation marks a significant step forward, but its success depends on the commitment of all stakeholders to fully integrate and use this tool.