​On Tuesday, The Gauteng Department of Social Development celebrated the successful production and airing of KICK IT Season 2, a television documentary series that captured the vast dynamics of substance abuse.
The documentary was celebrated following its nomination by the International Public Television Screening Conference (IPTSC) as one of the top 64 productions from 30 countries worldwide.

Kick It, is a Gauteng Department of Social Development 13-part television series that was aired on SABC1 which attracted over 955 270 viewers, in it’s slot on Mondays at 16h30.

The first season of Kick It received the South African Film & Television Award in 2019 for the Best Factual Educational Programme.

Speaking to stakeholders at Witpoort Treatment Centre in Brakpan, the Gauteng Social Development MEC Morakane Mosupyoe said the objective of the second season of Kick It was to depict the vast dynamics and realities of substance use disorders in families, workplaces and communities.

She said, “The series reflected individual stories of hope and triumph, showcasing individuals with substance use disorders, who have undergone treatment and those who were reintegrated within their families and communities, whilst highlighting available treatment services by the Department of Social Development within the region.”

“The remarkable success of the documentary has highlighted the effectiveness of integrated interventions in reaching the overarching goal of the National Drug Master Plan 2019-2024, to prevent drug use before it starts, early intervention to ensure substance users receive treatment and rehabilitation services and reducing the demand for illicit drugs.”

“I hope the documentary has made us realise the impact and the positive contributions we make as civil servants and service delivery partners when we fully commit ourselves to our respective mandates. While the pandemic brought numerous challenges in the delivery of critical services to our communities, our commitment and collaborative efforts has ensured the delivery of services despite the challenges,” said Mosupyoe.

She added that such milestones in the fight against substance abuse not only need recognition but a collective celebration for the efforts made by the Department and its stakeholders.

The Commissioning Editor at SABC, Surekha Singh, added that the SABC as the national public broadcaster is committed to providing South African citizens with a wide range of high-quality local programmes that reflect the diverse cultures, languages, life experiences, and interests and needs of the audience.

“When we received the proposal of Kick It Season 2, undoubtedly we knew this was an important series for the public. To offer help, this shows how various organisations and departments are collectively working to empower communities with information on substance abuse and track the criminals in this world of narcotics.”

Appreciation was given to the production house, Mindset Concepts, for crafting such a great series and for the ample respect and creative leadership they had for the production and producing award-winning content.