LifeLine Western Cape has said since January of this year, it had never experienced trauma calls from drivers involved in pedestrian suicides.
LifeLine Western Cape counselling consultant Glynis Depper said that since January, LifeLine Western Cape had received three calls from drivers who were involved in different pedestrian suicide attempts.
“We haven’t experienced anything like this before. We deal with many trauma cases a day but the recent incidents over the past few months have been rather unusual. The increase of such calls is felt and evident because it has not been common.
“We have in the past continued to receive calls from suicidal patients. We usually ask ‘How do you plan on taking your life’ and after their response we ask, ‘And what if it doesn’t work?’. It is important for anyone contemplating suicide on the road to know that their action may have long-lasting emotional trauma on an innocent driver who had no intent to kill,” she said.
Depper said since Covid-19, an increase of depressed patients was evident. Many had lost hope and were finding it difficult to recover since the pandemic.
Automobile Association of South Africa spokesperson, Layton Beard, said while they had no knowledge of increased pedestrian suicides in the Western Cape, they sympathised with innocent drivers who would be drawn into a death situation they did not intend.
“Imagine the emotional scars that would leave the driver? Such a situation would be totally unfair to a driver who observed all the road rules, who were going on with their day and then suddenly having to bear the brunt of killing a pedestrian,” he said.
Western Cape Social Development spokesperson, Monique Mortlock-Malgas, said in instances of trauma, the Western Cape Department of Social Development’s social workers could render counselling and psycho-social support to children, women, boys and men across the province, if there was the capacity.
“If families of victims of suicides require counselling, they can go to their nearest DSD office where assistance can be provided by a social worker.
“WCDSD services and programmes include, safety and risk assessment services, therapeutic and psycho-social services, temporary safe care programmes, adolescent development, programmes for children with behavioural, psychological,emotional challenges, transitional care and support programmes for children about to exit alternative care,” she said.
According to the Western Cape mobility department, they have no record of pedestrian suicides but rather pedestrian and road fatalities.
“We can confirm that as from April 1 2022 until March 31 2023, the Western Cape recorded 1 353 road fatalities. Of those fatalities, 677 were pedestrian fatalities, which translates to 50% of road fatalities,” the department said.
Depper said anyone experiencing depression and trauma could reach out to the Western Cape LifeLine whatsapp number: 0637092620. LifeLine Khayelitsha is available on 0213619197 and LifeLine Cape Town (10am-10pm) on 0214611111.