The Gauteng Department of Social Development is currently hosting an evidence-based conference at Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni to reflect on current substance abuse interventions and how they could be improved.
The five-day consultative workshop started on Tuesday, 6 August 2019 and will end on Wednesday, 14 August 2019.
Amongst the topics that are discussed, they include harm reduction, supply reduction, and demand reduction (prevention and awareness).
Speaking to participants from different sectors in the field of substance abuse, Director for Substance Abuse, Social Crime Prevention and VEP, Tebello Mkhonto said the department is in the process of reviewing the Provincial Integrated 
Anti-Substance Abuse Strategy that was approved in 2012 to ensure that it is aligned to the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act 70 of 2008 and the Draft National Drug Master Plan 2019-2024.
The department is engaging specialists from Government Departments, Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), social structures, substance abuse treatments & rehabilitation centres, and research institutions.​