VZCZCXRO8828
PP RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHTN #0233/01 3300726
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250726Z NOV 08
FM AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2883
INFO RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 6240
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 2056
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 3193

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAPE TOWN 000233 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SNAR KCRM PGOV SF
SUBJECT:  METHAMPHETAMINE-A GROWING PROBLEM IN CAPE TOWN 
 
¶1. (U) An article in the November 17 2008 edition of the Cape Times 
reported that, according to the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cape 
Town has become the methamphetamine capital of South Africa, with 98 
percent of patients seen across the provinces coming from this city. 
 
 
¶2. (U) Methamphetamine, or Tik as it is commonly known in South 
Africa, is a white, odorless, bitter crystalline powder, which 
dissolves easily in water or alcohol, it is a powerful stimulant 
that affects the central nervous system and is highly addictive. It 
is easy to ingest, most commonly from a light bulb heated from below 
to produce fumes that can be inhaled. Dopamine levels in the body 
which are responsible for keeping a person happy, stable and 
balanced are reduced by Tik usage. Through ageing a normal person 
loses between five and ten percent of their dopamine over ten years. 
According to the MRC, Tik users are losing 40 percent to 50 percent 
every two years and once the levels in the brain drop below 50 
percent the risk of Parkinson's Disease increases. Hospitals in Cape 
Town are now seeing 34-year-olds being treated for Parkinson's, the 
direct result of Tik usage. 
 
¶3. (U) The MRC estimates that nowhere else in the world has Tik 
grown as quickly as in the poorer coloured communities of the 
Western Cape, surpassing mandrax as the drug of choice. Five years 
ago just 15 cases involving Tik were reported in the Western Cape. 
Last year this had increased to 2,628 cases with 91 percent of the 
users being coloured males between the ages of 12 and 21. 
 
¶4. (U) The increase in gangs in the Western Cape has been a cause 
for concern in recent years. Street gangs have a long history in 
Cape Town, dating back to the aftermath of the Second World War when 
they grew rapidly due to returning servicemen. Large-scale forced 
removals of coloured, under apartheid during the 1960s eroded social 
controls, creating an environment of increased criminal activity. 
These factors coupled with South Africa's high unemployment rate has 
narrowed opportunities for young people and created the perfect 
environment for drug dealers and gangs to profit. Communities are 
seeing an increase in gang activity and crime directly as a result 
of Tik usage. 
 
¶5.  (U) The increase in the use and addiction of Tik is not only a 
social problem, but is having a larger impact on economic and 
security issues. According to the South African Police Services 
(SAPS), 60 percent of all crimes are related to substance abuse, and 
in the Western Cape that figure is closer to 80 percent largely as a 
result if Tik. The perpetrators of these crimes are either under the 
influence of Tik, or trying to secure money for their next fix. The 
Central Drug Authority estimates that the socio-economic costs of 
drug abuse are R20 billion every year. The direct economic impact of 
Tik can be found in a study released in July by the Small Business 
Project in the Western Cape. The study found that more than half of 
small businesses in the region had experienced at least one incident 
of crime in the last year. Small businesses lose up to 20 percent of 
their turnover to crime. According to the government's crime 
statistics, robberies from business premises have increased by 47.4 
percent since last year. In short Tik is driving crime up and the 
economy down. 
 
¶6. (U) Confidence in the criminal justice system is at an all time 
low and the situation is aggravated by the drug dealers and Tik 
users. Drug syndicates often have members of the police service on 
their payroll. To make matters worse, it has been noted that drug 
Qtheir payroll. To make matters worse, it has been noted that drug 
cases tend to drag on for months or years in court, to the point 
where witnesses either lose interest, are threatened not to testify 
or in some instances are killed.  Crime is also a key factor in the 
brain drain, over half of South Africans who emigrate cite crime and 
corruption as their main reason for leaving. When they leave, they 
take their skills and capital with them and drastically reduce the 
prospects for growth and job creation for the unemployed. 
 
¶7.  (U) According to the MRC, Tik is also a sexual stimulant and 
will certainly impact upon the transmission of HIV through 
unprotected sex. Cape Town has seen a rise in HIV infection rates, 
which has been linked to the growing popularity of Tik. In addition, 
the backroom laboratories manufacturing the drug have to be cleared 
by teams specializing in biohazardous matter, due to the health 
hazards of the by-products of manufacturing Tik. This poses an 
additional drain on already overextended resources and leads to 
service delivery problems. 
 
 
¶8. (U) Illegal drugs in South Africa are not only a threat to health 
and social development; they are becoming an issue of national 
security. The Institute for Security Studies released a report in 
May 2007 which said that while coloured gangs are believed to 
produce and control Tik, the Chinese mafia is the main supplier of 
the production ingredients. The report also noted that greater 
international cooperation is essential if the authorities are going 
to make significant inroads into the illegal drug trade. 
 
¶9. (U) Comment: As it is linked to health and security issues, Tik 
 
CAPE TOWN 00000233  002 OF 002 
 
 
is fast becoming a political platform and campaign issue in the 
Western Cape. Local opposition parties are placing more emphasis on 
the messages of drug prevention and are blaming the increase in 
gangs, Tik, and crime on poor governance. The governments disbanding 
of the South African Narcotics Bureau (SANAB) in 2004 is being 
directly linked to the increase in drug-related crimes and the 
disbanding of the Scorpions is used as further evidence of 
government's inability to effectively rule. As many of the poorer 
coloured communities are directly affected by gangs and drugs, 
anyone campaigning on this platform will be well received. End 
comment.