Image Source: The Daily Evergreen
Local – Men’s mental health continues to surface as one of South Africa’s most overlooked public health concerns. Behind the statistics on suicide, substance abuse, and violent crime lies a pattern that professionals have long flagged — men are not getting help, and the reasons go deeper than personal choice.
On Sunday, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga issued a statement calling the situation a “national emergency”. She said existing social norms, institutional gaps, and community attitudes all contribute to men’s reluctance to seek support.
“Too many men are carrying emotional pain in silence. Depression, anxiety, trauma, substance abuse, and social isolation are affecting men across all age groups, communities, and economic backgrounds. We must break the stigma that says men must suffer quietly,” she said.
The Cost of Silence
The pressure on men to appear strong and self-sufficient has real consequences. Boys learn early that emotional distress is something to manage privately, and that lesson follows many into adulthood, workplaces, and homes.
Chikunga said economic hardship and unemployment sit at the centre of the problem for many men, alongside family instability, exposure to violence, and trauma that goes unaddressed for years. In rural areas, the absence of accessible mental health services means many never receive a diagnosis, let alone treatment.
“Mental health is not a weakness. Seeking help is not a sign of failure. We need to create safe spaces where men and boys can speak openly, heal, and access support without fear of judgment,” the Minister said.
A Call for Collective Action
No single institution can fix this alone. Chikunga called on employers, schools, faith communities, traditional leaders, and media practitioners to each play a part in shifting how masculinity and emotional health are understood and discussed.
The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities said affordable, inclusive mental health services must become a baseline expectation, not an exception.
“A society that ignores the emotional well-being of men risks deepening cycles of pain, violence, and hopelessness. Healing our nation calls for caring for the mental well-being of everyone — women, men, youth, and persons with disabilities alike,” the Minister said.
