The Movement

This map shows the national reach of SAFMH and the location of the Mental Health Societies.

1. Cape Mental Health
2. Central Gauteng Mental Health
3. Laudium Mental Health
4. Limpopo Mental Health
5. Mpumalanga Mental Health
6. North Gauteng Mental Health
7. North West Mental Health
8. Northern Cape Mental Health
9. Northern Free State Mental Health
10. Pietermaritzburg Mental Health
11. Indlela Mental Health
12. REHAB
13. Southern Free State Mental Health
14. Uitenhage Mental Health
15. Vaal Triangle Mental Health
16. Zululand Mental Health

SAFMH’s National Office

Reconnecting The Movement 2024

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the directors and senior staff of the 17 Mental Health Societies (MHS) would meet for a two-day workshop twice a year in person. During these meetings, they would share updates about their mental health programmes and activities with each other, along with doing joint problem-solving. However, the movement had not had an in-person meeting since 2020, and there was a growing sense of disconnectedness, especially as there had been a number of new MHS directors entering the movement. In an effort to reconnect and strengthen this wonderful mental health movement, SAFMH (supported by Tekano) brought together the MHS directors at our offices in Johannesburg for a three-day workshop in October 2024, focused on recommitting to the work of community based mental health care in the country.

Find out more about some of our Mental Health Societies

As the oldest mental health organisation in South Africa and a founding member of the World Federation for Mental Health (formed in London in 1948), Cape Mental Health is proud of the ground-breaking work it has done in the past 106 years, especially in poorly resourced communities.

Central Gauteng Mental Health is a non-profit organisation that provides mental health and psychosocial support services.

Laudium Mental Health, a multi-disciplinary mental health service provider, and the relationships they have formed with stakeholders to meet the needs of their community.

Limpopo Mental Health is a provincial non-profit organisation established in 2003 and it is based in Tzaneen. The main goal of the organisation is to reach as many mental health care users in the Limpopo Province as possible, particularly those who are excluded or marginalized, with high-quality programmes that deliver long-lasting benefits.

North Gauteng Mental Health is a non-profit welfare organisation situated in Jan Niemand Park, Pretoria. The organisation has been in existence since August 1951 and is affiliated with the South African Federation for Mental Health.

The overall goal of Northern Cape Mental Health is to provide adult persons living with an intellectual disability a secure, constructive environment where they are provided creative and rewarding work and to attend to all other needs (spiritual, social, etc).

Indlela Mental Health (formerly Port Elizabeth Mental Health) was established in 1939 in response to the needs highlighted by learning partners with intellectual disabilities and psychosocial disabilities and their families. From the onset, the organisation rendered holistic services, not discriminating on basis of race or religion.

Uitenhage Mental Health Homes is a Non Profit Organisation that provides full care, rehabilitation and stimulation to mental health care users.

The South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH) is a national non-governmental organisation and was founded in 1920. Today, SAFMH is the largest national mental health federation in South Africa, with the national office situated in Johannesburg, and 17 constituent bodies [known as Mental Health Societies] located in all nine provinces.