A Durban-based accountant has endured years of workplace discrimination against mental illness, financial struggles, and personal hardships, all while managing bipolar disorder.
Despite the obstacles, she has built a career as a self-employed accountant and remains a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and systemic change in the workplace.
Her journey into the workforce began in 2004, but she struggled for over a decade before receiving a formal diagnosis in 2015. Throughout her career, she encountered workplace discrimination against mental illness, facing unfair treatment whether she disclosed her condition or not. Employers often disregarded her requests for a structured environment, leading to overwhelming workloads that exacerbated her symptoms. If she kept her condition private, difficulties would still emerge, resulting in job loss. Over 20 years, she had more than 20 employers, many of whom dismissed her unfairly.
Legal struggles and seeking stability
At times, her mental health challenges led to impulsive decisions, including incidents involving petty cash and shoplifting, both linked to her condition. During court proceedings for a shoplifting charge, an attorney urged her to seek professional evaluation, leading to her bipolar diagnosis.
Hoping for a fresh start, she traveled to Australia in 2016 to live with her mother. After securing employment, she moved out and settled on her own. However, another episode struck; after boarding the wrong taxi, she found herself lost and living on the streets. She was declared missing.
During that time, she experienced a severe mental health episode, entering a store and attempting to take items without paying. Police arrived, but upon realising she was unwell, sent her to the hospital. Once again, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Following this incident, Australian authorities sent her back to South Africa, where unresolved legal matters related to the shop lifting incident led to her arrest upon arrival. Her father bailed her out.
Surviving hardships and fighting for stability
Financial instability continued to plague her and her husband in the months that followed. Together, they endured periods of homelessness and later relocated from Gauteng to Durban in search of better opportunities, only to face workplace discrimination against mental illness yet again.
Today, she is in a better place and acknowledges that medication plays a crucial role in managing her condition, but access to quality mental health care remains costly. Monthly therapy sessions cost R1,000 per hour, creating an ongoing financial burden despite her family’s improving financial situation.
Advocating for change in the workplace
Her experiences have fueled her fight for workplace discrimination against mental illness to be addressed with genuine understanding and structured support. She urges workplaces to foster open discussions instead of rushing into decisions that harm employees with mental health conditions. “Genuine understanding is crucial. Many employers claim to support mental health but fail to accommodate their employees’ needs,” she explains.
Her advocacy extends beyond her personal struggles, she has seen many friends face the same difficulties, with many turning to self-employment due to the lack of workplace support. Outside of work, she contributes to her church and participates in community initiatives, though she sometimes finds social settings exhausting.
Preventing teenage suicide and championing mental health reform
She is actively involved in a teenage suicide prevention programme. She and her husband were baptised last year and remain committed to their faith and community, serving in their church.
Her message to others facing similar struggles is one of self-acceptance: “You are enough. Mental health awareness and self-acceptance are key. Take things slowly, don’t pour from an empty cup. Don’t worry about what others think. If you can learn, share your knowledge with those who need help. We must keep advocating for better mental health services because, right now, in South Africa, the support system is lacking.”
She believes her experiences highlights a critical social justice issue, workplace discrimination against mental illness, and hopes that by sharing her journey, she can raise awareness and push for meaningful change. “I would not have survived all these if it were not for God, my Redeemer.”
Mental health in South African workplaces
The South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH) acknowledges the challenges faced by employees with mental health conditions. “One of our programs at SAFMH is organisational awareness, where we are invited by organisations across the public and private sectors to run mental health presentations and workshops,” explains Michel’le Donnelly, Communications and Awareness Lead at SAFMH.
“The most requested workshop focuses on mental health and stress in the workplace. In 2024, the global theme for World Mental Health Day was ‘It’s Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace,’ promoted nationally throughout October,” she says.
Recommendations for workplace mental health
SAFMH advocates for meaningful employee involvement in workplace mental health discussions. Key recommendations include:
- Providing workplace adjustments: Employers should offer reasonable accommodations, such as flexible working hours and structured guidance.
- Developing personal action plans: Employees should have individual mental health plans, including early warning signs, triggers, and support strategies.
- Supporting employees returning to work: When employees need time off for recovery, managers should implement a structured reintegration plan with supervisor support.
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