The South African Depression and Anxiety Group's (Sadag) vital crisis helpline, which assists thousands struggling with mental health issues, is at risk because of mounting costs.
Sadag, which provides free telephone counselling among other services, has issued an urgent call for financial support ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.
With a counselling call centre that takes up to 2,500 calls a day, of which one in three are suicide related, Sadag is a vital support source for countless South Africans in distress, especially those in remote areas without access to care. Most of these calls come through toll-free helplines, a 24-hour service for vulnerable people. Sadag has been rendering free support and been a mental health advocate for 31 years.
Cassey Chambers, Sadag’s operations director, told TimesLIVE Premium without immediate funding, the infrastructure that provides life-saving support is at risk.
“South Africa faces great mental health challenges, with a recent report highlighting that one in three people may suffer from mild to severe symptoms of depression. The high stigma and critical shortage of public sector resources leave organisations like Sadag to fill a massive gap,” she said.
If we can do whatever we can to prevent people from taking their own lives, especially those who are reaching out to us. We don’t want something like a telephone bill to prohibit us
— Cassey Chambers, Sadag’s operations director
The organisation provides free telephone counselling, support groups, brochures and vital information, especially talks, on depression, anxiety, grief, bipolar disorder and suicide prevention. This need is more critical than ever, with more than 14,000 deaths from suicide annually, making it the third leading cause of death among young people aged 15-29.
A Discovery Life 2024 claims experience report found suicide made up 35% of all unnatural death claims among its members, exceeding the 23% of deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents and 17% by violent crime.
Among those aged between 41 and 60, 45% of unnatural claims were due to suicide.
The insurer also reported a 62% rise in suicide-related claims among individuals over the age of 50 compared to the five-year average.
Sadag has now launched an online fundraising campaign on Back-a-Buddy in a bid to raise R180,000 to cover costs for September.
“The biggest thing is being the suicide crisis helpline, a lot of our effort and time is focused on the calls and helping people. We receive calls from people throughout the year who are really struggling, dealing with complex issues that affect their day-to-day functioning and lives.”
Chambers said Sadag counsellors are spending a lot of time on crisis intervention and responding to people who need help.
“The one thing that is overlooked is that the suicide helpline does not get any funding from government.”
Chambers said with Sadag being an NGO, fundraising to keep the call centre running is one of their biggest priorities.
“What we are doing ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, is calling for help. If we get help to pay for this telephone bill, we can focus more of our energy where it is needed the most, which is helping people in need. This is why we are doing a big call to action.
“As an NGO it is hard to get people to invest in and to support mental health, especially for something like the suicide helpline line, which isn’t always the warmest or friendliest line for any company or organisation to affiliate themselves to.
“So we have to fight a little bit harder than the other organisations, because we also know that mental health is not something we can see or touch.
“There’s also this stigma that it affects other people and doesn’t affect us. We are really just appealing to the person on the street who has been affected by mental health issues or suicide to donate even R10.”
Every single donation, no matter how small, will directly help those in desperate need of help through our helpline
— Zane Wilson, Sadag founder
Chambers said every R10 counts as “it’s a phone call, and a person that we get to help”.
She appealed to corporates to dig deeper and invest in mental health.
“Help us for one month to not have to worry about our telephone bill.”
Chambers said many South Africans are feeling burnt out and struggling to cope with life’s struggles.
“We have teenagers who call us who want to end it, who feel like there is no point to living, from a husband, who is going through a divorce, lost his family and business and is very serious about taking his life. It’s those people we want to be there for.
“We know that suicide doesn’t only affect the person, it affects the family, the community, company or school. If we can do whatever we can to prevent people from taking their own lives, especially those who are reaching out to us ... We don’t want something like a telephone bill to prohibit us from helping more people.”
Chambers said Sadag is determined to ensure the suicide helpline is always there to help people.
“We want to always be a call away.”
Sadag founder Zane Wilson said the need for their services “has never been greater, and we try our best to leave no call unanswered, but we need your support”.
“Every single donation, no matter how small, will directly help those in desperate need of help through our helpline,” he said.
“It’s what keeps our helplines open, and for someone in crisis, that sound of a voice on the other end is not just a call — it’s hope. We are asking everyone to help us keep hope alive.”
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