Men die by suicide far more often than women, counsellor says
The SA Federation for Mental Health says men account for about 79% to 80% of recorded suicide deaths in South Africa. Registered counsellor Lehlohonolo Mazindo says women are diagnosed with depression more often, during Depression Awareness Month.
The federation says the male suicide rate is roughly 4 to 5 times higher than the rate for women. Mazindo says many men die undiagnosed. He blames deeply entrenched social conditioning that penalises male vulnerability.
Mazindo said: "We have built a narrative that men do not talk; in actual fact, men do talk when they feel safe". He says men speak when what they share will not be used against them.
Mazindo also said that mental health struggles never excuse harmful or abusive actions.
Key facts
- Who
- Lehlohonolo Mazindo (Registered Counsellor, health expert interviewed); SA Federation for Mental Health (mental health organisation that provided suicide statistics)
- What
- As South Africa observes Depression Awareness Month, a health expert says women are more frequently diagnosed with depression while men continue to die by suicide at a far higher rate. The SA Federation for Mental Health says men account for about 79% to 80% of recorded suicide deaths.
- When
- 28 October 2026
- Where
- South Africa
- Status
- Reported