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The SA Federation for Mental Health is a national,
not for profit, non-governmental organisation that aims to co-ordinate,
monitor and promote services for persons with Intellectual Disability
(Mental Handicap), Psychiatric Disability (Mental Illness) as
well as promoting mental health and well-being. We are affiliated
to the African Regional Council for Mental Health (ARCMH) and
the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH).
Seventeen (17) mental health societies and numerous
member organisations, actively involved in the field of intellectual
disability, psychiatric disability and mental well-being, constitute
the Federation.
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Vision:
Our vision is to be a dynamic movement, which
serves as an effective resource to empower people to attain optimal
mental well-being and quality of life, in a just society.
Mission:
We actively work with the community to achieve the highest possible
level of mental health for all by:
- Enabling people to participate in identifying community
mental health needs and responding appropriately;
- Developing equal, caring services for people having difficulty
coping with everyday life, and those with intellectual and
/ or psychiatric disability;
- Creating public awareness of mental health issues; and
- Striving for the recognition and protection of the rights
of individuals with intellectual and / or psychiatric disability.
- We aspire to contribute to a just and fair society.
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In order to achieve its mission the Federation:
- Communicates with international, national, provincial,
governmental and non-governmental structures on policy matters
relating to mental well-being, emotional disturbance, psychiatric
disability and intellectual disability;
- Negotiates with government departments, statutory bodies
as well as national and provincial organisations on any matter
in the interests of mental health;
- Promotes the mental health of all people through collaboration
and liaison with other organisations with similar aims on
the international, national, provincial, regional and local
level;
- Establishes and maintains services for the promotion of
mental well-being, the prevention and treatment of psychiatric
disability, emotional disturbance and intellectual disability;
- Provides any therapeutic or rehabilitative service in aid
of individuals with psychiatric disability, intellectual disability
or anyone who is emotionally disturbed, including the provision
of accommodation, food, clothing, education, training and
employment;
- Assists individuals and groups in the community to undertake
any task mentioned above, especially to form self-help and
support groups;
- Endeavors to co-ordinate non-governmental voluntary services
in the interests of mental well-being, and those persons living
with psychiatric disability and/ or intellectual disability
in South Africa;
- Speaks out on mental health issues and disseminates policy
decisions and information relating to mental health in international,
national as well as local media;
- Prepares and disseminates informative and educational material
concerning mental well-being, intellectual disabilities and
psychiatric disabilities;
- Advocates for improved facilities for the care and treatment
of intellectually and / or psychiatrically disabled persons
in both the government and non-government sector;
- Promotes and conducts research into the causes, incidence
and treatment of intellectual and psychiatric disabilities
as well as any aspect relevant to the promotion of mental
health;
- Encourages improved standards of training in all professions
and occupations in the fields of mental health, intellectual
disability and psychiatric disability;
- Formulates rights relating to mental health issues in partnership
with service users and the community and advocates for the
fulfillment of such rights;
- Secures, generates and sustains funds from the community
and the state in order to give effect to the objectives of
the Federation.
- Employs, trains and determines the conditions of service
of staff necessary to undertake the work of the Federation;
- Promotes and gives effect to the mission of the Federation
with a view to the creation of an improved awareness of the
Federation and its goals;
- Develops a proactive, responsive, and accountable leadership
structure within the Federation which ensures maximum consultation
and participation at all levels of decision making;
- Provides a supportive working environment which encourages
and recognises initiative, progress and development;
- Monitors its own performance in terms of its mission.
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1913 Cape Society for the Feeble-Minded
(Cape Town) - This organisation focused on establishing community
services for people with mental handicaps.
1920 South African National Committee
for Mental Hygiene and the Care of the feeble-minded - Arose
due to a need for:
- National status to receive funding from the South African
Government.
- “Mental Hygiene”, the then accepted national term
for mental health, to be incorporated into the name.
- Development of an affiliation with their American counterpart
to increase their status in the field.
Later South African Federation for Mental
Health - This National Committee formed a link between
Government and mental hygiene societies functioning at the local
level. It was also responsible for preventive programmes and public
education on mental health issues.
The local mental hygiene societies were mainly
concerned with:
- Identifying people with mental illness or mental handicap
in the community and arranging for their admission to government
institutions.
- Disseminating literature on the prevention of mental illness
or mental handicap.
- Promoting the establishment of special classes for children
with mild mental handicap.
2006 South African Federation for Mental
Health - The National Directorate today has the main
function of supporting the local community services by:
- Serving as a spokesman on national and international issues.
- Negotiating on behalf of the mental health movement with
authorities on policy issues.
- Providing a forum for local organisations to share information
and expertise.
- Assisting local organisations to give effect to national
policy decisions.
- Providing a consultation on mental health administration
matters.
- Maintaining a national information and resource centre on
mental health matters.
- Developing and publishing educational material on the promotion
of mental health related issues.
- Developing in-service training programmes for staff.
- Facilitating the commencement of community services in areas
not services by mental health societies.
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What are Mental Health Societies?
Mental health societies are community service organisations operating
in the field of Intellectual Disability, Psychiatric Disability
and / or the promotion of mental well-being. They are registered
as separate non-profit organisations, have their own boards of
management and employ their own staff. They are accountable to
the Federation so far as the standard of service delivery is concerned.
However, they are not financially accountable to the Federation’s
Board of Management.
The Mental Health Movement originally consisted
of a National Council with a number of autonomous constituent
mental health societies. Although mental health societies could
nominate persons to serve on the Executive Committee of the National
Council, the Council was not accountable to mental health societies
and vice versa.
In 1992, as a result of political changes in
the country the structure became a federal one. Mental health
societies retained their autonomy, but membership to the SAFMH
became conditional on the basis of reciprocal accountability between
the Board of Management and individual societies.
The functions of mental health societies vary
from one region to the next and will depend on the needs and availability
of services in a particular area.
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The Team
- Mr S Mokgata - National Executive Director
- Ms A Labuschagne - Manager: Finance & Administration
- Ms C Abrahams - Management Secretary
- Ms G Monare - Administrative Assistant
- Ms I Masilela - Programme Manager
- Lindiwe Shayi – Programme Manager
- Ms D Palm - Admin Officer: Fundraising
- Ms M Makhubu - Information Assistant & Clerk
- Ms P Kgoadi - Office Assistant
- Mr C Chimbalanga - Groundskeeper
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Board of Management
The Constitution states that the Board of Management must consist
of the following:
- A President elected from previous members of the Board of
Management, who holds office for a period of two years.
- Two Vice-Presidents elected from previous members of the Board
of Management, who hold office for a period of two years.
- Nine directors of constituent bodies, one from each of the
nine provinces.
- Nine provincial representatives, one from each province.
Nine psychiatric service users, one from each province.
- Nine adult persons with intellectual disability, one from
each province.
- A maximum of four experts for specific purposes and a specified
period
Management Committee
The Constitution states that the Management Committee must consist
of the following:
- The President of the Federation.
- Eight members elected by the Board of Management from its
own number
- The National Executive Director of the Federation.
| Board of Management
2006-2008 |
| Category |
Board Member |
| Directors (9) |
1. Ingrid Daniels (Western Cape)
2. Lalita Harie (KZN)
3. Lecia du Preez (North West)
4. Karuna Singh (Gauteng)
5. Elbie van Rooyen (Free State)
6. Jacobus Petzer (Northern Cape)
7. Mari Louw (Mpumalanga)
8. Carel Mouton (Limpopo)
9. Sheldine Septoe (Eastern Cape)
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| Provincial Reps (9) |
1. Michelle de Goede (Western Cape)
2. Elna Welman (KZN)
3. Dr. M Motsepele (North West)
4. Kate Lenahan (Gauteng)
5. Tilla du Preez (Free State)
6. Neroli Dimeney (Mpumalanga)
7. Mr. Ralph Chabalala (Limpopo)
8. Vacant (Eastern Cape)
9. Vacant (Northern Cape)
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| Experts |
1. Ms. S. Kleintjes
2. Mr. Tom Davies
3. Mr. Lage Vitus
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| Service Users (ID) (9) |
1. Sylvia Williams (Western Cape)
2. Maureen Vida (KZN)
3. Gillian Edwards (Mpumalanga)
4. Thirysell van van der Yar (Gauteng)
5. Elisa Moshakwa (Limpopo)
6. Vacant (Free State)
7. Vacant (Eastern Cape)
8. Vacant (Northern Cape)
9. Vacant (North West)
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| Service Users (PD) (9) |
1. Andre Roux (Western Cape)
2. Vijay Govender (KZN)
3. Jarret Clark (Gauteng)
4. Marj Farr (Free State)
5. E Pretorius (Mpumalanga)
6. Given Mamitwa (Limpopo)
7. Ronald Shaw (Eastern Cape)
8. T Bekker (North West)
9. Vacant (Northern Cape)
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| Category |
Elected |
| President |
Sharon Kleintjes (Western Cape) |
| Vice President |
Chris Beer (Western Cape) |
| Immediate past president |
Shona Sturgeon (Western Cape) |
| Honorary Treasurer |
Tom Davies |
| Management Committee |
Solly Mokgata (NED)
Sharon Kleintjes (President)
Chris Beer (Vice President)
Tom Davies (Honorary Treasurer)
Shoan Sturgeon (Immediate Past President)
Elna Welman
Maureen Vida
Carel Mouton
Andre Roux
Ingrid Daniels |
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The National Office of the South African Federation for Mental
Health runs four main programmes throughout the year namely:
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