Mental health practitioners state that entrenched cultural expectations and economic strain are the primary drivers behind South Africa's soaring male suicide rates, which account for approximately 80% of all recorded cases nationally.
As Men’s Mental Health Month enters its final week, the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities has officially classified South Africa's male suicide rate as a national crisis.
The designation follows recent data from the South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH) indicating that men account for approximately 80% of all recorded suicides in the country.
South Africa ranks 10th globally for suicide rates, with an estimated national average of 23.5 deaths per 100,000 people.
According to public health tracking data, out of 13,774 annual suicides recorded in the country, 10,861 were men, and 2,913 were women. This represents a male suicide rate of nearly 38 per 100,000 people, compared to approximately 10 per 100,000 for women.
