Wellness programme launched for Northern Cape artists & athletes

The SILAPHA Wellness Intervention Programme, an initiative by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to support artists and athletes, was rolled out in Northern Cape by Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

Northern Cape, Kimberley: On Thursday, 03 July, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), Nathi Mthethwa launched the SILAPHA Wellness Intervention Programme for Northern Cape-based artists and athletes at the Northern Cape Theatre in Kimberley.  The Programme, which has been rolled out in other provinces was designed and established by DSAC to address some of the pressing issues that affect South African sport and creative workers. Issues such as mental health, substance abuse, financial management and legal matters.

Addressing Northern Cape’s artists and athletes who attended the launch event in numbers, Mthethwa said: “We launched the SILAPHA Wellness Programme in February 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve since helped 1 911 practitioners through our dedicated call centre toll free line. We’ve also touched 1 900 practitioners through our interface outreach provincial activations, totalling to 3 811 sport and creative sector practitioners helped. Their various problems range from legal issues, critical incidences, addictive disorder, financial problems and the most prominent being mental health related challenges.”

At the event, themed “Own your talent through-and-through,” a star-studded panel, facilitated by media personality, Penny Lebyane, shared with the audience how they dealt with mental health challenges, mistreatment from the industry and other issues. This was carried out as a means of demonstrating how and why an initiative such as the SILAPHA Wellness Intervention Programme is necessary in the South African creative and sporting landscape.

The panel consisted of some of the country’s well-adored artists and sportsmen including actors, Dawn Thandeka King, Thato Molamu as well as Northern Cape’s very own, Moagi Modise, soccer legend, Doctor Khumalo and Kimberley’s para powerlifter, Ricardo Fitzpatrick.

“Fight as hard as you can to keep your sanity. It’s all about keeping your head above the water. At the end of the day, the good will outweigh the bad. Luckily for you guys, you do not have to fight the battle alone. This programme will play an essential role in ensuring your wellbeing,” said Modise.

The SILAPHA Wellness Intervention Programme has a range of resources that are available to South African artists and athletes at no cost. These include legal advice, mental health management, lifestyle management, financial management and substance abuse management.

Northern Cape MEC for Sport, Arts And Culture Ms Desery Fienies who was present at the launch expressed her team’s support of the SILAPHA Wellness Intervention Programme: “We are looking to create awareness within the Northern Cape among the artists and athletes as well as the community at large. We will be looking into the possibility of rolling out the program to all 5 districts in the form of district activation programmes. As the Northern Cape Provincial Government, it is imperative that we ensure that we reach out to all our athletes and artists in every corner of the province.”

Since its inception, the Programme has been successfully rolled out across all South African provinces.  Minister Mthethwa said the SILAPHA programme in Northern Cape is being executed together with the department’s GBVF programmes. These are  Golekane, a men-led programme driving behavioural change amongst men, as well as Baqhawafazi, which is aimed at giving a voice to survivors of Gender-Based Violence.

“Though we are proud of the work we have managed to do through the SILAPHA programme, much more work needs to be done. However I must say, we’re on the right direction but until we see a dramatic drop in women murders and cases of femicide – we cannot tap ourselves on the back,” said Mthethwa.

Source: Government of South Africa