Nomhle Mashiyana, whose 14-year-old daughter Nomthandazo died on 4 July 2023, believes bullying at school pushed her child to suicide. She recalls an incident where her daughter was violently assaulted by a group of girls, who ripped out parts of her hair. Despite efforts to transfer her daughter to another school, the teen ultimately took her own life before the move could happen.
“The school failed my daughter,” Mashiyana says, reflecting on the tragedy.
Nomhle says Nomthandazo was bullied over her appearance and ultimately attacked by a group of eight learners after she confronted one of them. She says a meeting was called by the school (Geluksdal Secondary School), but parents of the alleged perpetrators denied the claims made against their children. At one point, Nomhle states that the school informed her that the learners would be suspended, but this did not occur, and no measures were put in place to create a safe learning environment for her child.
Brenda Matlala, another grieving mother, says losing her 15-year-old daughter Omphile Rikhotso to suicide on 6 September 2023 caught her off guard.
“I never saw the signs of suicide. Everything came as a shock to me. I didn’t expect such a thing from her because she was so bubbly and loud.”
Beyond their personal grief, the parents feel abandoned by the very institutions meant to support them. Matlala expressed her frustration with the Department of Basic Education (DBE), stating that the department failed to offer any form of assistance or emotional support in the wake of her daughter’s death.
“[DBE] doesn’t take any initiative to ask us as parents how we are dealing with this thing. Never, ever,” she says.
Gaps in the system
DBE does not provide formal assistance to families who have lost children to suicide. The department’s spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, says mental health is a serious issue; however, they are not mandated to look after the affected families.
“The Department of Social Development is responsible for providing support to families in distress.”
Mhlanga explained that DBE addresses mental health issues through the Life Orientation subject. Beyond the classroom, Mhlanga stated that DBE collaborates with various stakeholders, including SADAG and the Department of Social Development, to tackle mental health issues. However, he argues that the root causes of the problems faced by learners often originate at home and within communities before they manifest in schools.
Matlala and Mashiyana are not alone in their grief. Their township of Tsakane in Ekurhuleni has had multiple teenage suicides in recent years.
A string of tragedies
Matlala and Mashiyana are amongst many parents in their community grappling with the untimely loss of their children. Their township of Tsakane in Ekurhuleni has had multiple teenage suicides in recent years.
In July 2023, a Grade 8 learner from Geluksdal Secondary School died after consuming a lethal substance at home. Reports indicate that the learner had been subjected to bullying. Just two months later, another tragedy struck the same school when a Grade 10 learner also took their own life. That same year, two learners from Tsakane Secondary School took their own lives in similar circumstances, while four others from the same school attempted suicide.
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In August 2024, two Grade 8 learners from Tsakane Secondary School ingested rat poison mixed with chips while at school- one died, while the other was rushed to a medical facility for urgent treatment. In January 2025, yet another in Tsakane died from suicide.
These are some known cases, but many go unreported.
According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), suicide accounts for 9% of all teen deaths in the country.
School outreach
To address growing mental health concerns among the youth, the Pholosong Regional Hospital launched a community outreach initiative called Doctor in My Classroom. On Fridays, young doctors and healthcare professionals visit schools in Tsakane, Duduza, and KwaThema to engage learners on pressing issues, including mental health and suicide.
According to the programme’s manager, Dr Liyabona Luthuli, schools are not adequately equipped to support learners’ mental health. Luthuli notes that while school social workers are doing their best, they are often overwhelmed. – Health-e News
