Community violence and substance abuse are equally omnipresent social problems that are
characteristic of South African communities. The pervasive nature of these social ills is evident
in the astonishingly high prevalence rates in South Africa, where substance-related violence
affects the lives of many, especially youth, due to its deleterious effects. The aim of the study
was to explore adolescents' perceptions of substance abuse as a contributing factor to community
violence using Goldstein’s tripartite conceptual framework of substance abuse and violence. A
qualitative methodological framework was employed. Purposive sampling was used to select the
participants, 16 grade ten learners (male and female) attending a high school within an
impoverished Cape Flats community. Two focus groups with eight participants each were
conducted. Theoretical thematic analysis was used to analyse and interpret information.
Four thematic categories were identified from the data namely: adolescents’ perspective on the
dynamics of community violence, perceptions of the psychopharmacological influence of
substances and violent tendencies, satisfying their needs: substance abusers’ criminality, and
substance distribution and violent patterns of interaction and trade. The findings indicate that
substance intoxication induces changes in behaviour and psychological processes, making
individuals aggressive and violent. Participants believed that substance abusers frequently
commit property and violent interpersonal crimes such as theft, robbery, assault, murder and
prostitution to obtain substances. Substance distribution was linked to gang violence as a
profession for gang members. Furthermore, findings show that systemic violence stems primarily
from gang involvement as well as sharing the markets in the substance industry, resulting in
rivalry for territory and clients. The current study broadens our understanding of ‘substance
abuse-violence’ nexus by providing qualitative information on Goldstein’s (1985) tripartite ii
conceptual framework in a South African context. As such, the findings could inform prevention
and intervention strategies for both violence exposure and substance abuse. It is especially
important because it explores the different dimensions of substance-related violence perceived
by a group of adolescents within a Cape Flats community.