The Spiritual Crime Prevention volunteers stepped in last week after two young learners at Strandfontein High School reportedly committed suicide in two separate incidents.

The Western Cape Education Department confirmed that two learners died under “tragic” circumstances but said it could not confirm the causes of death.

Police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg confirmed that an inquest docket had been opened into one of the deaths.

“Strandfontein police registered an inquest for investigation following the death of a young boy on Wednesday 2 September, at about 16:38,” he said, confirming that the death did not take place at the school but in a street in Bayview.

“The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” Twigg said.

Call to prayer

Strandfontein Community Police Forum chair, Sandy Schuter-Flowers, said the two incidents happened weeks apart. She confirmed that the Spiritual Crime Prevention unit had gone to the school on 6 September and held a prayer hour there which had been opened to the community.

A poster advertising the event read: “We call on our community and all stakeholders to come out in numbers and stand with our children and families in prayer. Your child is my child, and my child is your child. Let us come together to pray for the children and families who are grieving, and for every child and young person who may be facing struggles they cannot yet put into words.”

Counselling and outreach

The education department’s Bronagh Hammond said condolences and counselling had been offered to the school. “Our sincere condolences go out to the families, friends and the broader school community during this extremely difficult time. The WCED’s psychosocial support teams have been working closely with the school to provide support to learners and staff. Following both incidents counselling and support was provided.”

Ongoing interventions

She added that ongoing interventions by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) and the police are planned.

Schuter-Flowers confirmed this saying Sadag had joined Strandfontein’s Victim Support team during a trauma-response outreach the day after the boy died.

“It was such a powerful morning, on the back of sadness,” she said, explaining that the response from Spiritual Crime Prevention, Sadag and the ward councillor Elton Jansen, who attended in his capacity as a pastor, was swift. “We opened it up to the different faiths and everyone was praying around the school and in the community.”

Spiritual Crime Prevention then hosted the second prayer event on 6 September.

“And people came from everywhere,” Schuter-Flowers said.

Support

She said a team was put together after that and focused on on-going emotional support at the school.

Taswill Welcome of Sadag said he facilitates a support group at the school.

“The Strandfontein community has been left shaken and heartbroken following the tragic loss of a second student to suicide in just a matter of weeks, a devastating blow that has underscored the urgent need for mental health intervention,” Welcome said.

Welcome also runs The Taswill Welcome Foundation which supports communities with suicide and mental health awareness.

“This includes research on societal issues, conducted in collaboration with postgraduate and honours students from various Western Cape universities, as well as delivering mental health education across all age groups, from childhood through adulthood,” Welcome explained.

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He said calls for suicide intervention have become a near-daily occurrence.

“I receive calls at all hours — day or night — to help deescalate crises and offer immediate referral support.”

Welcome said that as an immediate response Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises were done at the school, in collaboration with the Metro South Educational Psychologist and Sadag Suicide Helpline posters will be put up.

“Suicide prevention flyers and accompanying educational discussions will be integrated into school reports, official statements, and parent-teacher interactions moving forward,” Welcome said. Additionally, The Taswill Welcome Foundation will launch a pilot support group at the school, he said.

“This initiative aims to provide a safe, confidential space where teachers can share their challenges, learn coping mechanisms, and practise stress-relief exercises, strengthening their own well-being so they can continue to support their students,” he said.

Real-time help

A dedicated WhatsApp group was also started, in partnership with the CPF and Jansen, “enabling real-time assistance”, Welcome said.

“We believe this is the beginning of a mentally healthier community,” Welcome said.

Who to contact

You can contact the Suicide Crisis Helpline at 0800 567 567, the Cipla Mental Health Helpline at 0800 456 789 or the Substance Abuse Helpline at 0800 12 13 14.

The numbers for the WhatsApp helplines are:

• Cipla Chat Line: 076 882 2775
• Maybelline BraveTogether: 087 163 2030.

The WhatsApp lines are only available during office hours.

Alternatively, you can send an SMS at any time, day or night, to 31393.

For more information, visit the Sadag website.