Cape Town - City of Cape Town officials estimate that about 10 percent of the 27 000 city employees have an addiction problem, with alcohol and tik abuse the most prevalent.
The city’s corporate services committee has revised the city’s substance abuse policy to take a tougher stance on drug and alcohol abusers, saying if addiction problems spiral out of control it will affect service delivery.
Herman van der Watt, manager of the city’s employee wellness programme, said addiction problems were spread throughout the city’s employment structure.
Alcohol is the prevalent substance abused among employees older than 40 and for employees between 23 and 35 the most common substance is tik.
“The city’s programme is currently mostly treating staff members employed on lower levels due to the fact that many of them have reached chronic stages of addiction that need urgent intervention. Higher level employees may never be seen by our service as they would access private treatment utilising medical aid,” Van der Watt said.
A city report said a large number of work sites were affected by drug and alcohol abuse which led to absenteeism, poor performance, criminal activity and injuries on duty.
The most vulnerable group are employees who work in public places with no close supervision.”
Van der Watt said they were discussing with occupational health and safety labour officials how to implement a screening tool.
The city’s own out-patient programme, Matrix 16 week, was established in July 2011.
Since then, 323 city employees had been referred to the programme and some were referred to in-patient rehabilitation centres.
Of the 323, 154 failed to complete it, 33 were dismissed, two passed away and five employees resigned.
Van der Watt said 114 employees had “disappeared” out of the programme in the past year but still managed to work for the city.
“The employee with the disease of addiction manages to continue to manipulate the manager, the service and also the city to their advantage, they have developed an attitude of entitlement and we often hear that they feel the (Matrix) group gives them ‘free time’ away from work and that they are only doing it to not be fired, thus leading to lip service, manipulation and passive-aggressive behaviour,” Van der Watt added.
DA councillor Courtney van Wyk, from the corporate services committee, said: “The policy addresses a zero-tolerance approach to substance abuse but also looks to provide a healthy and safe environment in line with occupational health legislation. We have to balance between being a caring city and being disciplined.”
Although the city does not have a definite figure of how many people are addicted, Van Wyk said it was clear there was a problem.
The chairman of the corporate services committee, Derrick America, said the policy was stricter but also clearer on the role of city authorities.
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