Fewer than one in 10 South Africans who need mental health care receive it
~4%
of GDP lost annually to unaddressed MNS conditions
R8bn
annual public mental health spend
South Africa's mental health system is caught in a stark mismatch: seven in 10 young people reported needing support in the past year, yet the vast majority who need care never receive it.
Daily Maverick · Source: Mental Health Investment Case for South Africa, Dept. of Health, 2025; Unicef SA U-Report, 2023
