South Africa’s leading mental health non-governmental organisation, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag), reportedly spends up to R150 000 per month on telephone costs to keep the country’s only suicide prevention helpline running.
Sadag is responsible for operating more than 30 national helplines, including the 24-hour Suicide Crisis Helpline on 0800 567 567. Calls to the helpline are toll-free, ensuring that no one is prevented from seeking help due to a lack of airtime.
The group also manages more than 160 community-based support groups for individuals and their loved ones dealing with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. What is concerning is that all this is done without financial support from the government.
No government funding
Cassey Chambers, operations director at Sadag, said keeping a 24-hour service running without government funding remains one of the organisation’s biggest challenges, especially as demand for mental health support continues to rise.
“As an NGO that doesn’t get government funding, we work really hard to make sure that our lines are always answered 24 hours a day,” Chambers told the Sunday Times.
“We run the country’s only suicide crisis helpline, and we have to do whatever we can to make sure that there are trained counsellors available when someone needs them.”
Toll-free number costs R150k per month
She added that every call from someone in need often generates multiple additional calls as counsellors coordinate emergency interventions and support services. This includes calls to find hospital beds, emergency services or to notify next of kin.
“Our phone bill per month could range from R110 000 to R150 000 per month, and Sadag is responsible for that bill,” said Chambers.
“We work really hard to make sure that that service is always on and always there because mental health, and especially suicide, does not have working hours.”
Most suicides are due to financial distress
Chambers explained that the country’s economic pressures have a direct impact on mental health, especially the rising cost of living and unemployment.
“We see this as a direct impact when there are different inflation rates that are announced, or a petrol price increase, or a new load shedding schedule,” she said.
“We have seen many households that are impacted, who have lost breadwinners, who have lost incomes, who are really just struggling day to day. Over a long time, that does negatively impact our mental health.
“Especially younger and younger people are dealing with so many different complex issues all at once. It’s never just one problem or primary stressor. It’s a combination and a collection of all of it that comes together that makes it really hard to cope.”
Most police officers die by suicide using service weapon
A few days ago, a Free State police officer died by suicide after shooting five people, killing three and injuring two. A written reply from community safety, roads and transport MEC Jabu Mbalula revealed that most police officers in the province have died by suicide using their service weapon.
Mbalula was asked by DA member of the provincial legislature Edward Janse van Vuuren how many police officers had died by suicide in the past five financial years and what methods were used.
The reply revealed that 30 police officers in the province died by suicide during the period, of whom 25 used their service weapon. Other methods were hanging, overdose and strangulation.
Van Vuuren has raised concerns about the lack of psychological support for members of the South African Police Service (Saps), citing it as having “limited the effectiveness of the Saps”.
Second-leading cause of death
Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, revealed that suicide is the second leading cause of death among the youth in South Africa, particularly among people aged 15-29. She noted that men account for most of the suicides.
“While recognising that men account for nearly 80% of all recorded suicides in the country, this makes it a critical issue for young men,” said Chikunga.
“The focus is on implementing urgent, collaborative mental health interventions, in line with the National Youth Policy 2030, whose third pillar is focused on physical and mental health promotion. Based on the magnitude of the problem, there is a need for comprehensive support, focusing on:
- Addressing the root causes like unemployment, trauma, and gender-based violence.
- Raising awareness on the ill-effects of mental health;
- Enhancing psychosocial services.
- Strengthening school-based prevention programmes;
- Facilitating linkage to community-based mental health support services.”
