ABOUT 110 SUICIDE CASES REPORTED SINCE JANUARY

MBABANE - About 110 suicide cases have been reported from January until August, this year.
According to the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), the statistics show an increase in the number of people taking their own lives compared to the same period in 2023.
During the same period in 2023, there were 97 recorded suicide cases.This is an increase of 13.4 per cent. The police indicated that a majority of those who committed suicide in the past eight months were men.Chief Police Information Communications Officer, Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, said men commit suicide because of infidelity, child maintenance, debt, fear of arrest after committing certain offences and lacking somethings.Vilakati said police are concerned about the increasing number of people who take their own lives, whose number increases annually.According to Vilakati, people aged 25 years and above are the ones who take their own lives.

Intervention

She said a quick intervention is needed to prevent incidents of suicide.She said out of the 110 reported suicide cases, 85 were males and 25 women. She stated that the reasons for people to commit suicide varied.Vilakati cited infidelity as one of the contributing factors among men.She said usually when one suspects their partner of infidelity and kills them, the killer may commit suicide.“Conflict arising from child maintenance can lead both parents not being in agreement. As a result of prolonged fighting, the couples end up killing each other; if that is not the case, they commit suicide,” she explained.

Furthermore, Vilakati cited lack of certain things as another contributing factor of suicide.  She also cited debts as another factor. “Apart from the above-mentioned reasons resulting in suicide, there are those who kill themselves in fear of getting arrested once they commit certain offences. Some do not state the reasons behind taking their own lives,” she said.

Issues

She then made a plea to the public to seek help when faced with various issues rather than resorting to suicide. On another note, Mfundo Dlamini, Gentleman’s Talk Founder, an organisation dealing with men’s issues, encouraged men to always come forward and seek help anytime they are faced with pressing issues.  He stated that some family members or society do not allow or give men the opportunity to voice out their issues.Dlamini said the highest expectations faced by men from both their families and society force them to take their own lives if they fail to meet them. According to the Gentleman’s Talk founder, some men are called with degrading names anytime they fail to deliver as expected.“Some men are asked by those close to them what kind of men they are if they fail to provide for the family. Such treatment makes men not have anybody to talk to. If the man continues to keep the issues to himself, the mind then fails to cope, resulting in that individual taking his own life,” said Dlamini.

The Gentleman’s Talk founder said men would not be committing suicide at an alarming rate had platforms been availed for them to voice out their challenges. He also cited financial constraints as a contributing factor for most men who take their own lives. He said due to the high cost of living brought about by high inflation, most men fail to provide for their families. “Any man regards himself as a failure if he cannot fulfil his duties either to his family or society. It is painful not to be in a position to buy groceries for your children or pay their school fees,” he said.

Failing

He then told men that failing at some particular point does not mean the end of the road, but looking for new strategies for doing things.According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 720 000 people die due to suicide every year. According to WHO, suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 and 29 years. Seventy-three per cent of global suicides occur in low and middle-income countries.The reasons for suicide are multi-faceted, influenced by social, cultural, biological, psychological and environmental factors present across the life-course.

For every suicide, there are many more people who attempt suicide. A prior suicide attempt is an important risk factor for suicide in the general population. WHO further states that suicide is a serious public health problem that requires a public health response. With timely, evidence-based, and often low-cost interventions, suicides can be prevented. For national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed.

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