The link between underage drinking and hard drug use in South Africa

The Gauteng Provincial Government will implement mass admissions, which will see thousands of substance users in the province receiving a new lease in life as they head to rehabilitation on October 27, 2025. 

Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi and MECs will monitor the implementation to increase access to treatment for people with substance use disorder who cannot afford private treatment. This is a response to a call by the premier, who highlighted in his State of the Province Address that substance abuse interventions must be massified. These admissions will be implemented to ensure that people in need of treatment have equal access to treatment services including under serviced communities.

With that being said, one has to look at the problem of underage drinking which is deemed a feeder to hard drugs. 

According to an organisation that promotes the responsible use of alcohol by adults, Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (Aware.org), 50% of teenagers in South Africa drink alcohol. One of the organisation’s studies also showed that someone who starts drinking under the age of 18, which is illegal, is four times more likely to develop alcohol and drug dependence than someone who starts consuming alcohol after the age of 20 years.

In addition, a study conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in townships across three provinces in South Africa including Gauteng, provided insights into adolescents’ drinking behaviours. 

With a sample of 3518 adolescents aged between 11 and 18 years, the results found that 67% had consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime, and most had their first drink at the age of 13 or 14 years. Alarmingly, almost a quarter of males and 16% of females said they had their first drink at the age of 11 years. 

This is concerning mainly because the study confirms that early initiation of alcohol use is associated with increased risk of alcohol and drug dependency later in life.

Data from the 2022 South African Social Attitudes Survey conducted by the HSRC further showed that 50% of South Africans aged 16 and older consumed alcohol. However, 90% of these drinkers engaged in binge drinking, meaning they sometimes consumed four or more drinks in one sitting (Bhana & Groenewald, 2019). 

Binge drinking is another big problem in our society with teenagers making it a popular practice. As we approach the festive season and end of schooling, a lot of occasions will be hosted that encourages binge drinking among teenagers. 

Last year, Social Development MEC Faith Mazibuko encouraged Ke Moja Ambassadors to know the hotspots where school kids normally host pens down parties, and that they must go there and close down those activities.

She said: “As government, we must outlaw the use of hooker pipes (hubbly bubblies), because drugs and substance abuse starts there. That flavour they put there it ends up being substituted by dagga, nyaope and various other kinds of drugs.”

This is one of the bold steps taken by the Gauteng Provincial Government to eliminate alcohol and drugs amongst school going children. 

The National Liquor Act of 2003 stipulates that it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to purchase alcohol or to be sold alcohol. However, statistics show that it is a prevalent problem in our society. Alcohol has been projected as a good social practice by youth in South Africa but the negative effects it has are not spoken about most of the time. 

This is therefore a call to parents, families and communities in particular to lead a role in making young people understand the dangers of underage drinking. Parents and families should have interest in the well-being of their children and open a bottle of communication and support instead. 

The Gauteng Government is addressing this problem through its Ke Moja, Tswa Daar, and Ba Kae campaigns. These campaigns focus on school going children, out of school youth and adults, and runs substance abuse awareness by Social Workers from the Department. 

Phetoho Maja, Gauteng Department of Social Development.