In his novella "A Walk in the Night-, La Guma has a re-occurring theme of alcohol and drug abuse. This theme left the reader with many questions regarding the actions of many of his characters. La Guma has developed many characters living in the slums of South Africa, whom seem to use drugs and alcohol to hide their problems and pain. However, the use of drugs and alcohol does not give the effect that most of his characters were looking for. The use of drugs will ruin your mind, emotions, and physical health as many people already know. Excessive use of alcohol and drugs were used for a reason in La Guma's novella. It is known that problems can't be solved by substance abuse; La Guma used drugs and alcohol to emphasize that fact. .
According to Planet Theory, an organization focused on problems in society, have done case studies; one in which stated: " Statistics show a strong link between poverty and substance misuse Substances offer an escape from this economic, spiritual, and psychological impoverishment- ( Planet Therapy). Every person must deal with the life they were dealt. They must make the best of it, and their future is dependant upon how they decide to live their life. The characters in this story were left with very little hope for moving out of the ghetto. La Guma depicts the harsh reality of drug and alcohol abuse that people in South Africa went through to "escape-.
South Africa during the 1960's was going through an apartheid, which left many minorities and colored people in the slums. As depicted by La Guma very realistically, you saw how they were faced with poverty. Due to the fact they were faced with poverty, many people can become depressed, and they looked for a quick way out. A time to themselves when they can feel good, and their problems aren't an issue. This is where drugs and alcohol come into play. This I feel is one of the many reasons drugs are used in la Guma's Novel.