Alcohol is so deeply woven into South African society that many of us no longer see the damage it causes.
Unlike illicit drugs, which are often associated with crime and social decay, alcohol enjoys legal status and social acceptance. However, every day it tears families apart, fuels violence, destroys livelihoods and contributes to a growing mental health crisis.
Walk through many communities in Soweto or elsewhere in Gauteng early in the morning and the reality is impossible to ignore.
Before most people begin their working day, groups of men and women emerge from illegal drinking establishments after spending hours consuming alcohol. For some, the first drink comes before sunrise. What has become a familiar sight is a symptom of a much deeper social problem.
The scale of alcohol consumption in South Africa is alarming. According to the National Treasury, South Africans consumed an estimated 4.5-billion litres of alcohol in 2022. Beer accounted for 3.1-billion litres, while wine consumption reached 453-million litres. Spirits contributed 153-million litres, and ready-to-drink beverages such as premixed brandy and cola made up 697-million litres.
Between 2013 and 2022, alcohol consumption increased by more than 12%, with ready-to-drink products recording the fastest growth. Gin has overtaken whisky as the country’s most popular spirit, and the market for cheap illicit alcohol continues to expand.
Products such as Western Gin and Mable Ice, commonly known as “Ngombion”, are widely available in many communities. Sold for as little as R25 for a 330ml bottle containing 43% alcohol, these unregulated products are becoming the drink of choice for many people battling poverty and unemployment. Their affordability comes at an enormous cost to public health.
Statistics, however, only tell part of the story.
Like many South Africans, I have watched alcohol slowly consume someone I loved. As a child, I adored one of my aunts. She was funny, energetic and always had everyone laughing. At that age, I thought she was the life of every family gathering. Only years later did I realise that what I had mistaken for happiness was alcohol dependence.
By the time I reached my teenage years, she was no longer the vibrant woman I remembered. The laughter had disappeared. By midday she had already finished a bottle of whisky, followed by wine and beer throughout the day. Alcohol had gradually robbed her of her health, her personality and, ultimately, her future.
Sadly, hers is not an isolated story. It is repeated in thousands of households across Gauteng every day.
The consequences extend far beyond addiction itself.
Healthcare professionals are increasingly reporting cases where prolonged alcohol and substance abuse contribute to severe mental illness.
The Gauteng department of health has observed a significant increase in patients presenting with substance-induced psychosis, a condition in which alcohol or drugs disrupt normal brain functioning and cause individuals to lose touch with reality.
People experiencing psychosis may hear voices, see things that are not there, develop false beliefs, experience confused thinking or display unusual behaviour.
While some recover with treatment and by stopping substance use, others continue to struggle long after the substance has left their system. In severe cases, substance-induced psychosis may develop into long-term psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia.
Young people are particularly vulnerable, especially those who begin using alcohol or drugs at an early age or who are exposed to trauma, chronic stress or a family history of mental illness.
Early intervention can make the difference between recovery and lifelong illness.
The government cannot afford to ignore this growing crisis. The Gauteng government has implemented the Gauteng city region anti-substance abuse strategy, which brings together departments, law enforcement agencies, health professionals, civil society organisations and communities in a co-ordinated response.
The strategy focuses on three key areas: harm reduction; demand reduction; and supply reduction.
The Gauteng department of social development continues to expand prevention and early intervention programmes through community awareness campaigns, school-based initiatives, family preservation services and access to treatment and rehabilitation.
Social workers work alongside families to identify individuals at risk and connect them with appropriate psychosocial support before addiction spirals out of control.
However, government programmes alone cannot solve this problem.
Addiction is often described as a family disease because its impact reaches far beyond the individual. Parents, children, siblings and entire communities carry the emotional, financial and social burden of substance abuse.
Families must resist the temptation to normalise harmful drinking behaviours or remain silent out of shame. Seeking help early from social workers, healthcare professionals or rehabilitation services can save lives.
As communities, we also have a responsibility to challenge the culture that celebrates excessive drinking while overlooking its devastating consequences.
Alcohol may be legal, but its abuse is costing South Africa far more than many are willing to acknowledge. If we are serious about building safer communities, protecting our young people and improving mental health, we must begin treating alcohol abuse with the same urgency we reserve for illicit drugs.
Only when the government, families, community leaders and ordinary citizens work together can we begin to reverse the silent epidemic that is destroying too many lives.
- Gomba is a communications official within the Gauteng department of social development.
Sowetan
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