Parents of drug addicts at the Noupoort Christian Care Centre have turned the tables on the department of social development, which wants it closed, asking the government to support and encourage the "pioneering work" at the facility.
A statement released on Monday by parents and representatives of Tough Love and United Christians Against Narcotics expressed their full confidence and support for the leadership of Pastor Sophos Nissiotis and the centre's management team.
"We hereby authorise him and his management team to take whatever action they deem necessary to ensure that the centre remains a fully functioning and registered rehabilitation centre for drug addicts," it said.
The statement followed a meeting on Saturday when the department released to parents a highly-critical report by a government-appointed task team on goings-on at the centre.
The report compiled by the team under the guidance of Nomathemba Kela, chief director for welfare services transformation, found severe financial irregularities, unhygienic conditions and unqualified staff.
Kela also complained of the lack of a detoxification programme and a humiliating punishment regime for children, many of whom lived in fear.
But the parents have stood behind the centre and appealed to Minister Zola Skweyiya and the department to "put their own house in order".
"We are dismayed at the 74-page biased, unsubstantiated report of the recent 11-member government delegation, which was released to the print and electronic media without it being discussed with Pastor Sophos and his management," the statement said.
In the statement, the parents ask Skweyiya for the effective elimination of the drug scourge, for a higher success rate of recovering addicts at state-funded facilities and to encourage privately-run centres like Noupoort.
They claim that the success rate at the Northern Cape centre is 76 percent.
Kela said the government had been unsuccessfully working with the centre for the past 10 years trying to change conditions.
Recommendations by the task team include that further investigations be conducted by the South African Revenue Service and the police in the next six months.
Nissiotis has until July 29 to furnish the minister with reasons why the centre should not be closed.
The facility, which treats about 200 chronic addicts, mainly for heroin and crack-cocaine, has been operating on a temporary licence that was renewed every six months. The last extension expired on April 18.
There have been three deaths at the centre during 13 years, two of them suicides and another linked to diabetes according to Nissiotis.