Content Warning: Sensitive Topics

South African men are silently suffering. Many are dying inside, and some are taking their own lives. In this deeply personal episode of Don’t Hold Back, author, poet, and social activist Zonwabele Zola “Blackie” Tshayana opens up about his experience with depression, suicide attempts, and growing up without a father.

He and Nozi speak openly about absent fathers, the hunger for validation, and the silent struggles facing South African men, including the heartbreak and identity crisis rooted in broken homes and systems.

From stigma and suicide to hope, healing, and raising the next generation, this is an essential conversation for anyone invested in the well-being of men, boys, and families.

This episode is about breaking cycles, building identity, and finding truth.

We’re talking truth, pain, healing, and how women can better understand and support the men they love.

In this episode:

00:00 Introduction: Men and Mental Health

00:45 Welcome to Don't Hold Back

00:58 Raising Boys: A Mother's Perspective

01:29 The Crisis of Male Vulnerability

01:53 Shocking Statistics on Male Suicide

02:14 Introducing Today's Guest

03:18 Personal Struggles with Depression

05:43 The Impact of Absent Fathers

08:09 Identity Crisis and Validation

12:30 The Urgency of Men's Mental Health

21:21 Initiating Self-Awareness

22:01 The Stigma Around Counselling

22:36 Breaking the Cycle of Violence

23:45 Normalizing Vulnerability

26:49 Humour as a Coping Mechanism

30:33 Rapid Fire Questions

32:16 Final Thoughts on Vulnerability

37:12 Closing Remarks

#DontHoldBack #MensMentalHealth #NoziTalks Catch up with our host Nozibele · More information about this podcast · The 77 Percent (DW Africa)