As part of Substance Abuse Awareness Month, the City of Cape Town celebrated the achievements of 360 Matrix® programme participants during a combined graduation ceremony in Kuils River on Friday, 19 June, where 360 participants who completed the programme received certificates.

Ongoing investment

The milestone reflects the City’s ongoing investment in substance use treatment, with its eight Matrix® sites having provided substance use screenings to more than 2,000 people between July 2025 and June 2026, more than 66% of those being men at an average age of 32.

As part of Substance Abuse Awareness Month, the City’s Matrix® sites held a combined graduation ceremony for clients and their family members, who have completed various elements of the free substance use treatment programme.

“We celebrate with those who had the courage to seek help, and commend them for committing to and completing the programme. It’s an ongoing journey of recovery for those who made the courageous decision to confront their addiction and had the perseverance to turn their lives around.

“It’s not an easy road, and we know there are many more residents struggling with addiction. However, those who graduated from the programme are proof it can be done and City Health is doing all it can to ensure the success of those who are a part of the programme,” said Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Francine Higham.

The expansion of the programme specifically for adolescents, which includes group sessions twice a week for one month and a support group, builds on nearly two decades of the City’s investment in evidence-based substance use treatment. The City pioneered the integration of substance abuse treatment into primary healthcare facilities, an approach that has been recognised internationally as a progressive model for addressing substance dependency as a public health issue.

The Tafelsig Matrix® site, which opened in 2008, was the first certified Matrix® treatment centre outside the United States. The other City Matrix® sites are Albow Gardens, Delft South, Khayelitsha Town 2, Mannenberg Ruimte Road, Parkwood, Eersterivier, and Kraaifontein, which continue to provide free treatment and support to individuals and families affected by substance use.

Seeking help

The majority of clients seen are male, with meth, mandrax, alcohol, cannabis and heroin being the most commonly used substances.

“Seeking help is the first step in overcoming addiction, and it is not impossible. Drug abuse destroys families, lives and communities, and breaking free from substances requires a level of strength, humility, and the willingness to ask for help. You will not be alone. We are here to help you fight this battle,” said Higham.

The substance abuse programme is available free of charge to walk-in clients who are able to enter the programme immediately after a professional assessment and drug and alcohol screening. Based on the Matrix® model, treatment consists of three to four sessions a week, which involve counselling sessions with or without family members, an early recovery group which focuses on skills that will help clients stay clean and sober, a relapse prevention group which focuses on living without alcohol and drugs, a family education group which teaches clients and their families about the process of recovery, and a social support group involving regular meetings with others struggling with substance abuse.

Free support is available through the City’s Matrix® sites, with professional assessment, counselling, recovery groups and family support. For help with addiction, please call the Alcohol and Drug Helpline at 0800 HELP 4 U (0800 4357 4 8).

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