Universities shaken by spate of suicides

SRC calls for counselling by older and more experienced therapists

Mental illness and depression among university students has once again come under the spotlight, following the suicide of two University of Fort Hare students in three months at the Alice campus.

The two were found hanging, one in his room, the other from a tree. The incidents, one in March and one earlier this month, left the community shaken, with students calling for more to be done.

These two suicides bring the number of students who have killed themselves at Eastern Cape universities to four in a year. Walter Sisulu University (WSU) spokesperson Yonela Tukwayo said a student at the their Butterworth campus committed suicide last year.

Rhodes University spokesperson Velisile Bukula said their student Khensani Maseko committed suicide off campus in August. It is understood Maseko committed suicide after being sexually assaulted in May.

Tukwayo said while WSU could not diagnose depression, when students showed symptoms of it, their counsellors referred them for clinical diagnosis. “The leading causes of stress among students are family circumstances, personal relationships, study environment and circumstances such as lack of finances,” said Tukwayo.

The president of UFH’s student representative council (SRC), Alungile Kampshe, said the campus student counselling unit lacked the experience to deal with this “deep” problem.

The counsellors at the unit are UFH psychology graduates who have been absorbed by the institute. “The unit does not have experienced counsellors to deal with the ongoing problem of mental health. While we understand the importance of absorbing graduates, some students feel reluctant to confide in former students, who they might have encountered on campus. “We feel this problem needs people who are more experienced as it is too deep.”

While the university could not state the possible reasons for the two recent suicides, Kampshe said reports were that one student had financial stress. “Based on what the family said, the student was a breadwinner who depended on the NSFAS for funding, so when he did not get the funding, he could not cope with not being able to provide for his family.”

UFH’s institutional advancement director, Tandi Mapukata, said mental illness and student

Mental illness and student suicide are global phenomena

Tandi Mapukata

UFH institutional

advancement director

suicide were global phenomena. “This is a complex situation which requires multiple interventions at various levels of society. Therefore, the university is not in a position to offer commentary on what may have led the two students to commit suicide,” said Mapukata.

According to the SA Depression and Anxiety Group, suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst students, after accidents, while 20% of students have suicidal thoughts.

Mapukata said UFH offered group and individual counselling. “The counselling unit has partnered with social work and psychology departments to increase its counselling capacity. Student affairs has also partnered with the theology department to address students’ spiritual needs.”