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Mental health support and access to care in South Africa

SADAG says millions of South Africans continue to live without access to the mental healthcare and support they need.

Home Health Mental healthcare remains out of reach for millions of South Africans

Health Featured

Mental healthcare remains out of reach for millions of South Africans

Mental health affects every South African, yet millions of people continue to live without access to the treatment and support they need.

Cassey Chambers, Operations Director at the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), is asking a pressing question: “All South Africans have a mental health issue. Why is care still out of reach?”

While South Africans are encouraged to reflect on dignity, equality and access to healthcare, Chambers believes one fundamental right remains overlooked, misunderstood and too often denied: the right to mental healthcare.

“During my time with SADAG I have often stressed that the only way to change the situation is to advocate for more investment into Mental Health by appealing to governments – both provincially and nationally to prioritise Mental Health, not just on paper but in the budgets too. But I would add that each of us has a role to play as well,” she says.

Mental health is closer to home than we think

Mental health does not only become important during a crisis.

It exists in our families, workplaces, schools and communities.

It is the colleague struggling with burnout, the student overwhelmed by anxiety, the parent navigating grief or the friend who says “I’m fine” when they are anything but.

Mental health does not belong to “other people”. It is part of being human.

Every person either experiences mental health challenges themselves or knows someone who does.

One in three South Africans affected

The numbers highlight the scale of the challenge.

One in three South Africans experiences a mental health condition. In a country of roughly 63 million people, this means tens of millions of people are directly affected.

Bipolar Disorder, which is often perceived as rare, affects around 3% of the population, representing nearly 1.9 million people.

Yet nine out of 10 South Africans living with mental illness do not have access to treatment.

This is not a marginal gap. It is a systemic failure.

What is keeping people from getting help?

Cost remains one of the major barriers, with mental healthcare often viewed as unaffordable or less urgent than physical healthcare.

Access presents another challenge.

South Africa does not have enough mental health professionals, particularly within the public healthcare system and rural areas. Long waiting times and limited services mean people might not receive help when they need it.

Stigma also prevents people from seeking support.

Fear of judgement, cultural perceptions and a lack of understanding continue to influence how mental illness is viewed.

There is also a gap in education. Many South Africans lack the language or tools needed to discuss mental health, making early intervention more difficult.

Mental healthcare is a human rights issue

If healthcare is a human right, mental healthcare must be recognised as one too.

Mental and physical health are deeply interconnected.

Untreated mental illness can worsen chronic conditions such as diabetes, HIV and cardiovascular disease, while affecting life expectancy, productivity, relationships and community wellbeing.

At its core, access to mental healthcare is about dignity.

Everyone has a role to play

Reframing mental health as an issue that affects everyone means recognising that everyone has a role to play.

Government has a critical responsibility when it comes to funding, policy and service delivery.

Workplaces, schools, communities and individuals also have a part to play in changing how mental health is understood and addressed.

This Human Rights Day, the challenge is not only to acknowledge the problem, but to recognise our role within it.

Mental health is not someone else’s issue.

It is ours.

And until it is treated as a fundamental human right, millions of South Africans will continue to live without the care, support and dignity they deserve.