Background: Schools in impoverished communities on the Cape Flats experience challenges related to high levels of poverty, crime and gang violence that can adversely affect learners' psycho-social and academic development. After-school programmes (ASPs) represent one form of intervention to address these issues. Aim: This study explored the perceptions of learners, school staff and personnel from a nonprofit organisation (NPO) regarding the benefits and challenges of an ASP at a no-fee-paying school in Bonteheuwel on the Cape Flats. Setting: The research was conducted at a no-fee-paying primary school in Bonteheuwel on the Cape Flats. Methods: The study employed a case study design located within a qualitative research approach, and interviews and focus groups were used to understand the participants' perceptions and lived experiences. The research was guided by Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Key findings revealed that ASPs have the potential to offer a variety of benefits for learners, such as feelings of safety and opportunities for holistic development. Challenges include resource constraints and the impact of community violence, which can affect the functioning of programmes. Conclusion: The study enhances understanding of how the various ecological systems are continually at play and offers insights into how learners, NPO staff and school personnel perceived and experienced the transactions between these systems. Contribution: The research enhances understanding of the role of ASPs in the context of no-fee schools on the Cape Flats and similar disadvantaged communities across South Africa.