An alarming number of South African teachers are leaving the profession early due to stress and mental health challenges. In Gauteng alone, at least 60 early retirements between 2023 and 2024 were linked directly to mental illness. Nationally, 1,599 educators opted for early retirement during the same period due to ill health and emotional strain.
According to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), 261 teachers in the province retired on medical grounds over the past two years, with stress, overcrowded classrooms, and school violence cited as the primary causes.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane warned that the education system is showing clear signs of widespread stress and burnout. This is reflected in rising absenteeism, which increased from 4.9% to 5.4%. The number of leave days taken rose by 11.5% to 850,436 in 2024, while temporary incapacity leave—mostly related to illness—surged by 43%.
Chiloane identified overcrowding and pupil indiscipline as among the most significant pressures facing teachers, many of whom suffer in silence. He urged school principals to be more empathetic, stating that leadership sensitivity can prevent tragedies.
“If a teacher takes their own life, I blame the principal – there are always signs,” he said.
Teacher unions have echoed these concerns. Naptosa warned that overcrowding, violence, and the withdrawal of external security from more than 200 high-risk schools have worsened the mental health crisis.
“Schools are now directly impacted by community crime and safety issues,” the union said.
The SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) added that learner bullying and aggression toward teachers are escalating.
“Discipline is a serious challenge, especially in overcrowded classes,” said Gauteng secretary Tseliso Ledimo.
He also criticised the lack of substitute teachers for those on leave for depression, noting that “mental illness is not treated as visible.”
Chiloane acknowledged infrastructure backlogs as a key factor in overcrowding, confirming that Gauteng is currently building 18 new schools, with eight expected to be completed by March 2026. He vowed to blacklist contractors who fail to deliver, calling poor performance “a cancer in the system.”
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