Wits graduate and Miss South Africa 2020 Shudufhadzo Musida will on Monday evening launch her online mental health initiative #MindfulMondays. It will be hosted in conjunction with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG).
The launch will be on Musida’s Instagram page.
Musida – who announced that she would be focusing on raising awareness around mental health when she took the Miss South Africa crown in October last year – will speak to various experts on a diverse range of topics related to mental health awareness Monday evenings at 7pm.
Coming up in your 8 am news with Kamogelo Tinyiko (@KamoTinyiko)
-Wits graduate and current Miss SA @abigailmusida launches a mental health initiative
Her first guest will be clinical psychologist and SADAG board member, Zamo Mbele.
Their discussion will include the difference between mental health and mental illness; mental health statistics in South Africa; how it affects people; what are some of the different types of mental health issues; who treats them; what resources are available and how COVID 19 has affected people’s mental health.
Young South Africans have taken to social media, commending Musida for making good on her promise.
Miss SA will be delivering her promise of mental health awareness 🙏💯 we are indeed led pic.twitter.com/iRuj6iP3gj
A 17-year-old girl from 4th Avenue, Alexandra in Johannesburg, has died after she allegedly committed suicide by eating rat poison.
Khumo Maloka was a grade 11 learner at East Bank High School.
It is understood that on Sunday the teenager ost a smartphone that belonged to someone on Sunday.
She took her own life the next morning at home, in life in fear of consequences.
Family spokesperson Ben Thabo Maloka says they are shocked and saddened by her death.
“I wish my niece told us what was bothering her, we could have helped her to solve the issue,” Malosa says.
The family says before her death, Khumo told her brother what she planned doing – saying: “My dear brother I love you so much, but I have taken the rat poison to kill myself.”
Her brother took it lightly.
Hours later she was found vomiting and was rushed to the Edenvale Hospital, where she was certified dead hours later.
Alexandra police could not be reached for comment at the time of publishing.
According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag), 9% of all teen deaths in South Africa are due to suicide.
The group says in the 15-24 age group, suicide is the second leading – and fastest growing – cause of death. – Report by Malesela Mangena
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) says its phones have been ringing off the hook with anxious and depressed South Africans seeking help.
According to a survey conducted by the organisation, at least 65% of South Africans had heightened stress challenges during the first few weeks of the coronavirus hard lockdown, which ended in May.
The country is now on lockdown level one.
While the race to find a cure for COVID-19 continues, the pandemic has not spared students from its devastating effects.
