Emalahleni – A not-for-profit organisation called Unlocking Minds hosted a mental wellness event aimed to educate, heal and create a dialogue that reminds people that mental health matters just as much as physical health.
Over 40 people attended the event held at Lynnville on 20 September 2025. The day became an open space where conversations flowed freely about trauma, childhood experiences and the hidden ways abuse can affect mental wellbeing.
Mental health remains a sensitive topic in many South African households, often whispered about rather than spoken aloud. Many in the audience nodded knowingly as speakers unpacked how issues like depression, anxiety and even violent behaviour can stem from unaddressed childhood wounds.
Unlocking Minds chairperson Thokozani Sithebe said, “Healing begins with understanding.” He highlighted that stigma surrounding mental health often leaves people silent, thinking they must endure their pain alone. “But silence breeds the cycle. Today is about breaking that silence,” he said.
Nunu Motaung, a psychologist who has worked extensively with Mpumalanga communities, said: “Mental health affects everyone – directly or indirectly. When we educate people, we make it easier to understand not just ourselves but each other… If we understand a person’s mental state, we can begin to break cycles of violence and pain.”
Among the partners who lent their support were Winter Msibi Real Estate, Old Mutual, Barko Loans and Vuma Fibre, contributing resources and showing that businesses can support community mental health.
“When businesses stand with people, it sends a powerful message that mental health is not a side issue – it is a community priority,” said Sithebe.
One of the attendees, Lerato Mahlangu, shared how childhood trauma shaped her anxiety and how the event helped her understand that her pain does not define her. “This event gave me hope that I can heal, and I feel lighter knowing that I am not alone,” she said.
Speakers emphasised that while GBV has many causes – patriarchy, inequality, poverty – it is often fuelled by unresolved trauma. If abusers had access to mental health support early in life, and if survivors had safe spaces to process their pain, cycles of violence could be broken.
