suicide Archives - Voice of the Cape

Mental health crisis amplified during festive season in the Western Cape

The festive season is often synonymous with celebration and togetherness but also carries a darker side for many in the Western Cape, as mental health challenges escalate during this time. The province’s healthcare sector has been inundated with emergencies, but the surge in self-harm incidents and suicides has brought the issue of mental health to the forefront. Since December, emergency centres have reported 89,500 admissions, including nearly 24,000 trauma cases. […]

31 December 2024

News

Student suicides surge: Sadag raises alarm

By Lee-Yandra Paulsen The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) sheds light on the concerning increase in student suicides. Four learners from Eqinisweni Secondary School in Ivory Park, Gauteng, reportedly ingested poison within ten days. With 70 schools reporting suicide incidents in the past six months. Speaking to VOC News Sadag's Jane Mashava expressed deep concern, stating, “It is very unfortunate that we have been losing lives of youngsters […]

9 May 2024

Local

Bodyguard turns the gun on himself outside LEAP officer’s funeral in Elsies River

LOCAL SAPS confirmed that investigations are underway after a member of the VIP Protection Unit allegedly shot himself outside the funeral of LEAP officer Alessandro Heynes in Elsies River on Saturday morning. The 44-year-old is understood to be the bodyguard of Western Cape Police Oversight MEC, Reagan Allen. SAPS’ Lt Col Robert Netshiunda stated that he was on duty at the time and was rushed to hospital in critical condition. […]

15 October 2022

News

Suicide crisis soars in SA

An unknown man sustained fatal wounds after he jumped from a local shopping centre in Claremont, Cape Town on Monday morning. According to local police, the victim was declared deceased by medical personnel on arrival. Subsequently, an inquest has been opened for further investigation. The country has seen an unfortunate uptick in suicide of men. It is now especially highlighted with the ailing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on citizens. […]

7 March 2022

Local

World Suicide Prevention Day: Resources that help

September 10 marks World Suicide Prevention Day, and it is becoming increasingly important to look after one’s mental health. According to South African government statistics, up to 3000 people commit suicide on a daily basis. For each person who commits suicide, there are 20 people who have attempted it. The World health Organization reports that 800 000 people commit suicide every year globally. “Suicides and suicide attempts have a ripple effect that […]

11 September 2020

Local

South African woman quarantined in Kenya commits suicide

A South African woman has committed suicide at the Kenya Industrial Training Institute (KITI) in Nakuru, where she was under mandatory 14-day quarantine to ensure she was cleared of Covid-19, the Daily Nation reported. According to the publication, the body of the 27-year-old was found hanging from the rooftop of a hostel room at the KITI by health workers, who were doing temperature testing as part of their daily rounds. […]

30 March 2020

News

Lentegeur murder-suicide points to the need for police counselling

A Lentegeur police officer’s double murder and suicide has placed the issue of the psychological trauma faced by police officers in South African Police Service in sharp focus. According to Rafique Foflonker from the Mitchells Plain Cluster Community Police Board, policemen and women in South Africa are facing severe emotional distress due to the consistent exposure to violence. His comment comes in the wake of a triple murder-suicide in Begonia […]

2 March 2018

International News

10,000 suicidal US soldiers between 2004 and 2009

Nearly 10,000 US soldiers attempted to commit suicide between 2004 and 2009 according to a study by JAMA Psychiatry, a medical journal published by the American Medical Association. The high suicide rate amongst US soldiers was revealed in a study which looked at the risk of such attempts among soldiers in army units with a history of suicide attempts. It stated that “suicide attempt rate among US Army soldiers increased […]

28 July 2017

Local

Court hears that Ahmed Timol was not suicidal

Anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol was not suicidal an inquest into his death -- sitting in the South Gauteng High Court -- heard on Tuesday. “Ahmed never wanted to die, he loved life like me. Even Ahmed’s girlfriend never knew that he anticipated to take his own life or he was suicidal,” Dr Salim Essop said during the inquest into Timol’s death. Timol’s death was ruled as suicide by jumping out […]

28 June 2017

suicide

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