Story by Grace Sibanda
THE Bulawayo community is on the edge as male suicide cases are on the rise, with two men having committed suicide over the past weekend, amid growing calls for immediate action to address this social ill.
“A real man does not cry out aloud or voice his concerns.”
“A real man cries from within”.
These sentiments are arched in the hearts and minds of many men who die in silence and resort to the path of ending their lives, due to what many say is a lack of a strong support structure that assists men with emotional challenges.
Residents of Bulawayo have added their voice to this concerning trend, where male suicides are alarmingly on the rise, citing the need for more open platforms for men to discuss their troubles.
“Men have deep seated issues that need them to be spoken closely with because the community is open to assisting people who are in need of help,'” said a resident who spoke to the ZBC News Crew.
“Men seem to think there is no solution to problems, but, we need to come together as men to support each other,” added another.
“There is no harm in sharing problems, men think death is the end of problems not realising they leave problems behind. We need to come together and fight this scourge because this is really getting out of hand.”
According to recent statistics, the city has recorded a 30% spike in male suicide cases over the past three months, with more cases still being recorded.
“We are seeing a growing number of men who are killing themselves. Between June and September, 20 men have killed themselves due to varied reasons and the number continues to grow and we call upon men to make use of the support structures that are available because a problem shared is a problem halved.
“We are working closely with the community to avert such situations because it is very worrisome how we lose men in our community,” said ZRP Bulawayo Provincial Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele.
Causes of this tragic trend have varied as some have blamed it on financial challenges, social challenges like infidelity and relationship pressures, with social commentators noting the need for society to allow men to air out their challenges and thus promote their endurance.
