South Africa Country Profile

Flag of South Africa Country Profile

Drug policy

  • Availability of programmes that diverts clients away from criminal justice towards treatment

Treatment Services

  • Specialised treatment system for both drug and alcohol use disorders
  • Pharmacotherapy: Methadone, Buprenorphine, Benzodiazepines, Phenergan all used for the treatment of opioid dependence for detoxification
  • Pharmacotherapy: Methadone, Buprenorphine and Ibogaine used for the treatment of opioid dependence for maintenance
  • Pharmacotherapy: Benzodiazepines, Nitrous oxide, carbamazepine used for treatment for alcohol withdrawal
  • Settings involved in the provision of Methadone/Buprenorphine: Public general hospitals, Public mental health hospitals, Public drug treatment centres, Private practice, Primary health care, Community pharmacies, Prisons
  • Social Workers, Addiction Counsellors and Psychiatrists are the key professionals for the treatment of people with alcohol use disorders and drug use disorders
  • NGO presence for drug and alcohol treatment and prevention

Prevention Services

  • Government unit responsible for the prevention of alcohol and drug use disorders
  • Annual budget line for the prevention of substance use disorders and mental health issues
  • Prevention initiatives are largely state financed
  • Prevention services available via mass media channels, school-based programmes and community-based programmes
  • No needle exchange programme
Recent Knowledge Share content about South Africa
Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment for Substance Use. Part II: Introduction to Brief Interventions and Referral to Treatment
Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment for Substance Use. Part II: Introduction to Brief Interventions and Referral to Treatment
Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment for Substance Use. Part I: Introduction to SBIRT and Screening Tools for Substance Use.
Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment for Substance Use. Part I: Introduction to SBIRT and Screening Tools for Substance Use.
South African Addiction Medicine Society Symposium 2023
Political map of South Africa Country Profile showing major cities.

General / Demography

Population

Total Population
59392255
Population ages 0-14 (% total)
28.67%

Education

Adult literacy rate (% people aged 15+ years)
95.02%
Primary school enrolment (% gross)
97.41%
Tertiary school enrolment (% gross)
24.24%

Health

Life expectancy at birth
62yrs
Fertility rate (births per woman)
2.37
Suicide mortality rate (per 100,000 population)
23.50

Other

Income group
Upper middle income
GDP per capita growth (annual %)
3.87%
GINI index (World Bank estimate)
63.00
Human Development Index
0.71

Drug Use

Alcohol consumption per capita (litres of pure alcohol, 15+ years)
7.21l
Annual prevalence of alcohol dependence (% population 15+ years)
2.40%
Annual prevalence of opiates use (% population aged 15-64 years)
0.41%
Annual prevalence of cocaine use (% population aged 15-64 years)
1.02%