AN alarming picture of the mental health challenges facing young people in the country has emerged, with the ministry of health revealing that one in four learners aged between 13 and 17 years reportedly seriously considered suicide.
The figures were highlighted by the ministry of health as the country joined the global community in commemorating World Suicide Prevention Day 2026 under the theme ‘Changing the Narrative on Suicide’, with the call to action: ‘Let’s Start the Conversation’.
Delivering the Minister of Health MP Mduduzi Matsebula’s speech, Acting Deputy Director of Public Health Dr Adman Shabangu said the figures were particularly concerning given that more than half of the learners surveyed reported having nobody to talk to about their worries.
The revelations place renewed focus on the emotional and psychological wellbeing of children and adolescents, while raising questions about the support available to young people experiencing distress.
“Suicide is also among the leading causes of death among our adolescents and young people,” Shabangu said.
He said the statistics should not be viewed merely as numbers, but as an indication of lives at risk and the wider impact suicide has on families, communities and the country.
The ministry also cited the latest World Health Organization (WHO) estimate, which places the country as having the second-highest suicide rate in the African region after Lesotho. The figure cited by the ministry was 31.8 deaths per 10 000 population.
Shabangu said suicide prevention should not be regarded solely as a health-sector responsibility, pointing to a range of factors that can contribute to suicidal behaviour.
These include unemployment, financial hardship, harmful alcohol and substance use, family and relationship difficulties, violence, social isolation and mental-health conditions.
“These factors show that preventing suicide requires action from all sectors of society,” he said.
The ministry’s emphasis on young people comes at a time when the country is seeking to strengthen its national response to suicide and self-harm.
According to Shabangu, the ministry, with support from the WHO and other partners, has conducted a national situational analysis on suicide and self-harm to better understand the extent of the problem, its drivers and opportunities for prevention.
The findings are expected to inform the development of a national multisectoral suicide prevention action plan.
The ministry is also working to strengthen mental-health services at community level, including integrating mental-health and suicide-prevention interventions into primary healthcare and community-based services.
For young people, however, the revelation that more than half of those surveyed reportedly had nobody to talk to highlights the importance of accessible and trusted support systems.
The ministry has called on families, schools, workplaces, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, civil society, development partners, the media and private sector to participate in suicide-prevention efforts.
Shabangu urged members of the public to create safe spaces where people can speak about mental health without fear of judgement.
“Let us check on our family members, friends, colleagues and neighbours,” he said, urging those experiencing emotional distress to seek help early.
The ministry’s message was clear: changing the narrative around suicide requires breaking the silence surrounding mental health and ensuring that people, particularly vulnerable young people, do not suffer in isolation.
MOVES TO STRENGTHEN NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION RESPONSE
THE ministry of health is stepping up efforts to strengthen the country’s response to suicide and self-harm, with government working towards the development of a national multisectoral suicide prevention action plan.
The move follows a national situational analysis on suicide and self-harm conducted by the ministry with support from the World Health Organization and other partners.
According to acting Deputy Director of Public Health Dr Adman Shabangu, the assessment was undertaken to improve understanding of the country’s suicide burden, identify contributing factors and determine opportunities for prevention.
The findings will inform the development of a coordinated national response involving sectors beyond healthcare.
The ministry says suicide prevention cannot be addressed by the health sector alone, given the range of social and economic factors associated with suicide, including unemployment, financial hardship, harmful alcohol and substance use, family and relationship difficulties, violence and social isolation.
Government is also seeking to bring mental-health services closer to communities by strengthening decentralised services and integrating mental-health and suicide-prevention interventions into primary healthcare and community-based services.
Shabangu said early identification, timely intervention and quality follow-up care would be critical in preventing deaths.
The ministry’s approach is guided by the World Health Organization’s live life framework, which identifies four key interventions: reducing access to common means of suicide; promoting responsible media reporting; developing life skills among young people and ensuring early identification, assessment, management and follow-up of people at risk.
The ministry has also begun engaging other sectors on measures to reduce access to highly hazardous pesticides, which it says remain among the leading means of suicide in the country.
The proposed multi-sectoral action plan is expected to provide a framework for coordinating these interventions and assigning responsibilities across different sectors.
Government is, meanwhile, calling on educational institutions, families, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, civil society, the private sector and media to join national suicide-prevention efforts.
The challenge now is to ensure that the commitments translate into adequately resourced services and practical interventions, particularly for young people who may be experiencing emotional distress.
WE HAVE NOBODY TO TALK TO – TEENAGERS
MORE than half of pupils aged between 13 and 17 years in the country reportedly say they have nobody to talk to about their worries, raising concerns about the support available to young people experiencing emotional distress.
The figures point to a potentially significant gap in emotional and mental-health support for adolescents, particularly at a stage of life when young people may struggle to communicate their challenges or seek help.
The ministry says suicide prevention requires a collective response involving families, schools, healthcare providers, communities and other sectors of society.
Acting Deputy Director of Public Health Dr Adman Shabangu urged the public to create safe spaces for conversations about mental health and to encourage people experiencing emotional distress to seek help early.
The findings also raise important questions about the availability of school counselling services, trained personnel and accessible mental-health support for adolescents.
