NATIONAL NEWS - Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) South Africa celebrates 75 years of existence on Monday 18 October.
This non-profit organisation, which is run by its members on a voluntary basis, has helped many thousands of South Africans recover from the disease of alcoholism over the past 75 years.
On any day or night of the year, those seeking help from the awful grip of alcoholism will find the help of AA at the end of a phone line, in AA meetings in cities and towns across South Africa, and online via Zoom or WhatsApp.
Founded 11 years after Alcoholics Anonymous was established in the USA in 1935, AA South Africa has a proud heritage of helping those seeking to overcome their issues with alcohol.
“Our 75th Jubilee kicks-off with a nationwide Zoom meeting on Monday 18 October, and is open to all South African alcoholics and our counterparts around the world,” enthuses Joe P, a Trustee on the Board, AA South Africa.
“From that date until 18 October 2022, our Diamond Jubilee year will be packed with physical and virtual events – just one of the highlights being the AA National Convention in Cape Town from 15 to 17 August 2022.”
The origins of AA in South Africa
“It’s an interesting one, and is best represented by the following anecdote,” says Joe P.
In 1946, Reader’s Digest published an article entitled My Return from The Half-world Of Alcoholism. The article had been extracted from an American Alcoholics Anonymous publication titled The AA Grapevine. This story was responsible for two separate enquiries from South Africans who had little or no control over their alcohol consumption.
The first occurred in an unrecorded month in 1946. Solomon M, a black translator at the Johannesburg Law Courts, was hungover and wandering the streets of Alexandra Township on the outskirts of Johannesburg, when he found a copy of Reader’s Digest, containing the above-mentioned article, in an overflowing rubbish bin, which he took home as he had nothing else to read.
That incident was about to change his life forever. His last bender had brought him and his family to the brink of starvation. Having nothing better to do, he paged through the Reader’s Digest and found this article on an organisation called “Alcoholics Anonymous”. This appeared to be the answer to his prayers. At last Solomon M had found something that had gave him hope. He hurried back to his one-roomed shack and immediately wrote to the address given in the article. He soon had a reply, which included extracts from the AA Big Book. This information enabled him to acquire and maintain sobriety.
Solomon M became the first member of AA in South Africa; he never started a group but remained sober for many years.
On October 14, 1946, a group of prominent Johannesburgers helped a man by the name of Arthur S, an alcoholic stockbroker, to start the very first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. Arthur S was the second person to write to AA and subsequently, finding help and sobriety.
Because Solomon M never started an AA meeting, it is this later date that is recognised as the official beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous in South Africa. Alcoholics Anonymous – the what and the why AA was founded to assist alcoholics to recover from the disease of alcoholism; there is no known medical cure for this problem.
AA is in the recovery business. AA exists to carry the message to the still suffering alcoholic. AA members do this by sharing their experience, strength and hope with each other and to help prospects find and maintain sobriety. There are no fees or dues for membership, in fact, anyone can join if they have a desire to stop drinking.
However, AA is a self-funding organisation and relies on contributions from AA members, on a voluntary basis. AA is not a general aid organisation; it is a fellowship of people who have a desire to get and remain sober. It is through their 12 Step recovery programme that AA members guide and mentor those willing to apply themselves to attain and maintain their sobriety. AA does not employ professionals. It works by alcoholics talking to each other and helping them to learn what it takes to become and stay sober.
“AA is relevant, AA is needed, and AA members are willing to help where they can, anywhere in South Africa,” Joe P concludes. “It is my goal, and sincerest hope that AA will become a household name, so that when anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help with a drinking problem, the hand of AA will be there to help them.”
AA’s national helpline number is: 0861 HELP AA (435722).
Those interested, as well as those seeking assistance, can visit the website to learn more about alcoholism and AA’s solution, www.aasouthafrica.org.za or visit their Facebook page, Alcoholics Anonymous South Africa.
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