By Gofaone Motsamai and Nikelo Mehlomakulu

It was not just a gathering; it was a breaking of the silence around men’s mental health struggles. On 26 June 2025, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus became a space where men exchanged ego for honesty, and bravado for openness.

The NWU alumni men’s mental health workshop brought together graduates, professionals and mentors for a conversation about what it means to be a man in a society that teaches boys to hold back pain.

The date was not chosen at random. 26 June is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, a reminder that substance abuse and trauma are often linked. June is also Youth Month in South Africa – a time of memory and struggle.

“We cannot keep meeting only to talk about soccer, car parts or weekend braais. Real conversations are overdue,” said Prof Leepile Sehularo, director at the Lifestyle Diseases research focus area in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Prof Sehularo shared the statistics that South Africa ranks third on the continent in suicide rates, with 10 861 men taking their lives in this country in 2019.

Internationally, the position is bleak too. “Three men die by suicide each minute in the world,” he told the audience. “And men are told not to cry. But when they don’t cry, they make others cry – their children, wives, mothers, friends.”

Using stories and humour, Prof Sehularo said depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and addiction are not signs of weakness; they are diseases that need care, support and help. “When you eat too much, it's a problem. When you don’t eat, it’s also a problem. Mental health needs care. Men must stop hiding behind alcohol, smiles and roles.”

Dr Gopolang Gause, a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences, spoke about the pressures men face. He listed the roles expected of men: to provide, protect, lead and suffer in silence.

“We live in made-up lives. A guy arrives with a belt and shoes, not because he can afford them, but to look like what the world expects. It is a trap,” said Dr Gause. “Men are people. Men are hurt. Men are not speaking.”

He called for circles of support – like those women form through groups, churches and clubs. “We must speak about money, relationships and problems without fear. Let us support one another.”

Prof Leepile Sehularo

Dr Gopolang Gause