Havana the capital’s suicide hotspot

Men make up 80% of cases

Havana residents top the list of people who took their own lives in Windhoek between January 2021 and June 2026.

The Khomas region recorded 370 suicide cases during the same period, with men accounting for more than 80% of cases, and the capital’s informal settlements recording some of the highest numbers.

Statistics from the Khomas Suicide Prevention Task Force show that 308 cases involved men and 60 involved women.
The sex of two people was not recorded.

The figures show that 2022 had the highest number of cases at 85, followed by 69 in 2023 and 67 in 2021.

The figures come a month after the police reported 486 suicide cases countrywide during the 2025/26 financial year, including 390 men, 83 women, nine boys and four girls.

The task force’s statistics show that Wanaheda Police Station, the closest to Havana, recorded the highest number of cases in Khomas at 155, followed by Windhoek with 71, Katutura with 67, and Otjomuise with 41.

Klein Windhoek recorded 17 cases, Groot Aub seven, Dordabis five, Seeis three, and Nauchas and Kappsfarm two each.

At neighbourhood level, Havana, Otjomuise, Goreangab, Wanaheda, Ombili and Khomasdal recorded some of the highest numbers.

Samora Machel constituency councillor Lydia Kanime says poverty, unemployment and a shortage of social workers are leaving residents struggling with mental health problems.

“The reality here is that it is poverty – a person going through a lot and nobody to really give the proper counselling,” she says.

Kanime says the social worker assigned to the area speaks English and Afrikaans, while many residents speak neither language, leading to poor communication and discouraging people from seeking help.

She says men specifically often remain silent because they fear being judged.

‘PAY ATTENTION’

Task force chairperson Tuhafeni Talia says friends and family should pay attention when people withdraw from social activities or lose interest in things they previously enjoyed.

Talia encourages people to check on loved ones and help them seek professional support if necessary.

“They need someone to hold their hand, and that is what we need to do as family and friends,” she told Desert FM last week.

Talia said the task force plans to strengthen suicide prevention programmes through regional and constituency structures.

THE PRESSURE TO PROVIDE

Simone Fourie, a counsellor at Geluk Psychology Services, says unemployment, alcohol abuse and limited access to mental health services could contribute to suicide cases at informal settlements.

“Part of the reason why suicide cases are concentrated at informal settlements is because that is where most people live because it’s more affordable,” she says.

“Informal settlements are also very far away from professional care and professional healthcare services,” she says.

Social expectations may further discourage men from seeking help, she says.

“I think it’s the classic masculinity norm that men shouldn’t ask for help and that they should struggle on their own and suffer in silence,” she says.

The World Health Organisation says that 73% of 720 000 annual suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.

SUPPORT

Task force vice chairperson colonel Josephine Nghishoongele says people experiencing suicidal thoughts need support rather than judgement.

Suicide prevention activist Elago Nantana says limited access to mental health services, financial pressure and family responsibilities contribute to depression and anxiety among men.

Nantana says men who move from rural areas to Windhoek often struggle to adjust to city life and to find their identity.

Adults can access free social work services at BPI House in Windhoek without an appointment or medical aid.

Children can seek help at 061 283 3111, while those needing counselling can contact Lifeline/Childline Namibia on 116 or 106 or call 112 in emergencies.

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