Members of Parliament from the Portfolio Committee on Social Development are on a week-long visit to the Northern Cape to inspect facilities aimed at tackling the province’s substance abuse problem‚ which is linked to a high incidence of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

MEC Mxolisi Sokatsha told Committee Members that foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is prevalent among farming communities in Upington and De Aar‚ and is even worse in Kimberley‚ with Galeshewe township recording rates of 11% per 1 000 young people.

“This means well over 60 per 1 000 youths have permanent irreversible brain damage due to alcohol damage during pregnancy. Both rural and urban areas are negatively impacted in the same way‚” MEC Sokatsha said in a statement.

MPs will this week visit rehabilitation centres in Kimberley and De Aar‚ among other places.

Acting Chairperson of the Committee‚ Hope Malgas‚ said the Committee wanted to ascertain if the department’s programmes were having an impact‚ especially in resolving the triple challenges of poverty‚ unemployment and inequality.

“Substance abuse is not only limited to the Northern Cape. The Nelson Mandela Metro (Port Elizabeth) and the farming communities in the Western Cape suffered from this condition [as well].

“It is really said to see children born with this condition‚” Malgas said.

She said the Committee had identified substance abuse strategies in the province as a particular area of interest.