Houghton House
Addiction support groups in South Africa
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the largest support group for people who want to stop drinking. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking, and AA South Africa holds free, confidential meetings daily throughout the country, both in person and online.
- Helpline: 0861 435 722 (24 hours)
- WhatsApp: 073 021 2523
- Email: gso@aasouthafrica.org.za
- Meetings: AA South Africa’s directory covers in-person and online sessions
AA follows the 12-step programme, a structured set of principles for staying sober that members work through with the help of a more experienced member, known as a sponsor.
Our guide to the 12-step programme explains each step in plain terms.
Gamblers Anonymous
Gamblers Anonymous (GA) South Africa holds weekly meetings in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape, along with online support group sessions on Zoom. Its hotline runs daily from 08:00 to 21:00.
- Gauteng: 060 624 7140 or 078 661 9857
- KwaZulu-Natal: 083 783 5715
- Western Cape: 079 343 5283 or 079 368 4477
- Email: info@gamblersanonymous.org.za
- Meetings: GA South Africa’s weekly meeting list includes the Zoom sessions
The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation also offers free counselling, with referrals to in-person treatment at no cost.
- Counselling line: 0800 006 008 (free, 24 hours)
- WhatsApp or SMS: send “HELP” to 076 675 0710
- Email: helpline@responsiblegambling.org.za
Problem gambling is treatable. Our page on gambling addiction treatment explains what that involves.
Cocaine Anonymous (CA)
Cocaine Anonymous (CA) South Africa runs meetings in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and the Western Cape, as well as online. CA doesn’t publish a helpline number, but the Cocaine Anonymous South Africa meeting list includes regional and online schedules.
Both NA and CA work well alongside treatment. Many people start attending meetings during or straight after rehab, and keep going long after.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a free support group for people whose drug use has become a problem. NA’s programme is open to addicts of all ages, nationalities, cultures, creeds, gender identity, and religions. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using, whichever drug is involved.
- Helpline: 0861 00 6962
- WhatsApp (Johannesburg): 082 899 8816
- WhatsApp (Western Cape): 063 744 7049 or 066 371 5196
- Email (Western Cape): wc-helpline@na.org.za
- Meetings: NA South Africa lists in-person and online support group options
Al-Anon Family Groups
Al-Anon Family Groups support adults affected by someone else’s drinking. This is for people, just like you, who are worried about someone with a drinking problem, the families and friends of problem drinkers.
- Helpline: 0861 252 666 (24 hours)
- Email: alanongso@iafrica.com
- Meetings: Find an Al-Anon or Alateen meeting near you
Al-Anon Adult Children is for adults who grew up with a parent’s alcoholism, and Alateen is for teenagers affected by someone else’s drinking.
Nar-Anon Family Groups
Nar-Anon Family Groups support the families and friends of people who use drugs, including parents of adult children with a drug problem. Nar-Anon South Africa holds meetings in four provinces, including Gauteng and the Western Cape, as well as online. Regional and online meeting lists are available on the Nar-Anon South Africa website.
SA Helplines National Council On Alcoholism And Drug Dependence
Sanca provides specialised and affordable prevention and treatment services for alcohol and other drug dependence. A national body established in 1956, it has independently operated societies and counselling centres in all nine provinces they have drug rehab centers and alcohol advice facilities.
Free SADAG support groups for addiction
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) is at the forefront of patient advocacy, education and destigmatisation of mental illness in the country. Its expertise lies in assisting patients and callers throughout South Africa with mental health queries.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) runs free support groups nationwide, including several for people affected by substance use. Most meet online, which means you can join from anywhere in the country.
The groups below were listed as running on SADAG’s website in September 2026. Contact the organiser to confirm times and joining details before your first meeting.
- Addiction and substance abuse support group (online via Zoom, every Wednesday): contact Megan on 073 173 5391
- Support group for recovering substance users (online, every Wednesday): contact Eugene on 072 309 6586
- Substance use support group for young adults (Google Meet, every Saturday): contact Donald on 068 029 3352
- Support group for families and friends of people who use substances (Zoom and WhatsApp, every second Thursday): contact Byron on 066 589 7439 or Raylene on 082 546 2368
- Online support group for loved ones supporting someone with an addiction (every Thursday): call the SADAG office on 011 234 4837 for joining details
- Substance abuse and depression support group (in person at Mooiuitzicht Treatment Centre, Kareedouw, on the last Tuesday of the month): contact Laura on 071 753 3612
SADAG also offers free telephone counselling on its 24-hour substance abuse helpline, 0800 12 13 14.
Houghton House family support meetings
Houghton House runs a weekly family support group for anyone affected by a loved one’s addiction. You don’t need a family member in treatment at Houghton House to attend.
- When: Thursdays, 17:30 to 19:00
- Where: 420 York Avenue, Ferndale (First Step)
- Cost: R100 per person, which can be claimed back from medical aid
- To join: Contact Judith Gordon-Drake on 011 787 9142 (office hours) or WhatsApp 079 770 7532
Our family support programme page explains what the meetings cover.
If a parent’s drinking has affected young people in your household, our article on how alcohol abuse affects children looks at the impact and how to help.
Frequently asked questions about addiction support groups
Support groups bring together people facing the same problem, from their own drinking or drug use to a loved one’s addiction. Most groups are free, run by their members, and meet in person or online across South Africa.
This page lists the main support groups for addiction in South Africa, with helplines and links to each group’s meeting finder. The page also covers what happens at a first meeting, how peer support fits alongside treatment, and where to find crisis help.
Each organisation keeps its own meeting list. The quickest route is to start with the group that matches your situation. The lists above show where and when groups meet, and most also run online sessions for people without anything nearby.
It’s common to try a few different meetings before finding one that suits you. Meetings vary in size, format, and atmosphere, even within the same group.
If you’re unsure which group to start with, the free SADAG substance abuse helpline (0800 12 13 14, available 24 hours) can point you towards support in your area.
A first meeting usually feels less daunting than people expect. Groups such as AA and NA follow a similar format:
- Meetings are free, and you don’t need to book or register
- Members use first names only, and what’s shared in the meeting stays there
- Nobody has to speak, and newcomers can simply listen
- Open meetings welcome anyone, including family members, while closed ones are for people who want to stop drinking or using themselves. Meeting lists usually show which type each session is.
Over time, many members ask a more experienced member to act as their sponsor. Our article on what to look for in a sponsor explains how that relationship works.
Three main types of support services help people with alcohol and behavioural challenges, such as gambling, in South Africa:
- Support groups: Free peer-led meetings, such as Alcoholics Anonymous for drinking problems and Gamblers Anonymous for gambling
- Helplines and counselling: Confidential phone support, such as the SADAG substance abuse helpline (0800 12 13 14) and the gambling support line (0800 006 008)
- Treatment services: State-funded, subsidised, and private rehabilitation centres that offer medical and therapeutic care
Many people use all three at different stages. A helpline can be the easiest place to start, because counsellors can recommend a support group or treatment centre nearby.
Support groups work best alongside treatment rather than in place of it. For someone physically dependent on alcohol, benzodiazepines, or opioids, stopping without clinical supervision can be dangerous, which is why treatment usually begins with medical detox.
After treatment, support groups help people keep the progress they’ve made. Houghton House patients continue their recovery through our aftercare programme, and many also attend AA or NA meetings.
If cost is a concern, our list of free, government, and subsidised rehabilitation centres covers options in all nine provinces. If you have medical aid, substance use disorders are prescribed minimum benefits, which means all registered schemes must cover treatment. Our admissions team can check your cover on 011 787 9142, 24 hours a day.
Yes, most are. AA and NA meetings are free, and so is the counselling offered through the SADAG and gambling helplines. Houghton House’s Thursday family support meetings cost R100 per person, which can be claimed back from medical aid.
Yes. You don’t need to have been through treatment to attend. AA’s only requirement is a desire to stop drinking, and NA’s is the wish to quit using. If your drinking or drug use involves physical dependence, speak to a doctor before stopping, because withdrawal from some substances can be dangerous.
Yes. Several groups offer online sessions:
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Narcotics Anonymous
- Cocaine Anonymous
- Nar-Anon
- Gamblers Anonymous (on Zoom)
- SADAG, for people in recovery, young adults, and families
Joining online suits people who live far from an in-person meeting, or who would like to try a group from home first.
AA is for people who want to stop drinking, while NA is for anyone trying to quit drugs. Both follow the 12-step programme. People who have used both alcohol and drugs often go to whichever group feels most relevant, and some attend both.
Yes. Al-Anon helps people affected by someone else’s drinking, Alateen is for teenagers, and Nar-Anon supports the families and friends of people who use drugs. Houghton House also runs a weekly family support meeting in Ferndale that’s open to anyone affected by a loved one’s addiction.
Some situations need urgent help beyond addiction support. The services below offer free, confidential support for crises involving suicide, abuse, and violence.
- SADAG suicide crisis line: 0800 567 567 (24 hours)
- SADAG substance abuse helpline: 0800 12 13 14 or SMS 32312 (24 hours)
- Childline South Africa: 116 (free, 24 hours), for children and for adults concerned about a child
- SAPS emergency services: 10111
- Gender-Based Violence Command Centre: 0800 428 428
- POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse): 011 5916803 for counselling and legal help after violence
- Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust: 021 447 9762 (24 hours), with lines in isiXhosa (021 361 9085) and Afrikaans (021 633 9229), and WhatsApp counselling on 083 222 5164
Crimes against children are investigated by the SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units. You can report through 10111 or at your nearest police station.
If someone’s life is in immediate danger, call 10111 first.
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