Counseling and Peer Support Helplines for South African Students
By Muntasir • Published Jul 04, 2025 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Student Life
South African students have free, toll-free counseling helplines to call any time of day, including a dedicated suicide crisis line and several mental health support lines run with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG). Save these numbers in your phone before you need them.
📩 Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0800 567 567, 24 hours.
💵 Every number below is toll-free from any South African network.
⏱️ Some lines run 24 hours, others operate 8am to 8pm.
🎓 Your university's own counseling or wellness center is usually free and faster for ongoing support than a national line.
National toll-free helplines available any time
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) runs or partners on several toll-free lines that operate 24 hours a day. These are free from any South African network and need no airtime.
| Helpline | Number | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Suicide Crisis Helpline | 0800 567 567 | Suicidal thoughts or crisis, 24 hours |
| Department of Social Development Substance Abuse Helpline | 0800 12 13 14 (SMS 32312) | Alcohol and drug related crisis, 24 hours |
| Cipla Mental Health Helpline | 0800 456 789 (SMS 31393) | General mental health crisis, 24 hours |
| Healthcare Workers Care Network Helpline | 0800 21 21 21 | Support for health science students and workers, 24 hours |
These 24 hour lines connect you to a trained counselor, not a recording. Call even outside working hours if you are in crisis.
Daytime helplines for depression, anxiety, and specific concerns
| Helpline | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Adcock Ingram Depression and Anxiety Helpline | 0800 70 80 90 | 8am to 8pm |
| Dr Reddy's Mental Health Helpline | 0800 21 22 23 | 8am to 8pm |
| ADHD Helpline | 0800 55 44 33 | 8am to 8pm |
| Pharma Dynamics Police and Trauma Helpline | 0800 20 50 26 | 8am to 8pm |
These lines suit ongoing concerns such as exam stress, low mood, or anxiety, where you want to talk through a specific issue rather than reach crisis support.
WhatsApp support if texting feels easier than calling
SADAG's partner lines run WhatsApp support between 8am and 5pm:
Cipla Mental Health WhatsApp: 076 882 2775
Maybelline BraveTogether WhatsApp: 087 163 2030
Ke Moja Substance Abuse WhatsApp: 087 163 2025
Have Hope Chat Line WhatsApp: 087 163 2050
What happens when you call
A trained counselor or trained volunteer answers these lines directly, not a recording. Expect a short conversation where the counselor listens, asks a few questions about your situation, and works out with you what support fits best, whether that is talking it through on the call, a referral to a support group, or a callback from a counselor closer to your area.
Calls to the toll-free numbers above do not use your airtime and do not appear as an itemized charge on a prepaid or contract phone bill. If you share a phone with family or roommates and worry about privacy, save the numbers under a name that does not reveal what they are for.
Campus based support alongside these lines
Every public university runs its own student counseling or wellness center, usually free and confidential for registered students. Ask your student affairs office or campus health center for their walk-in hours and after-hours emergency contact. Higher Health, the sector wide student health and wellness programme active across South Africa's public universities and TVET colleges, also runs campus wellness services alongside these national lines. Contact your local Higher Health office directly for its current phone number, since campus offices operate independently.
SADAG also runs over 180 free support groups across the country for depression, anxiety, and trauma, alongside a callback service if you cannot get through immediately. Ask a counselor on any of the numbers above whether a group in your area suits you.
Which number to call first
Call the Suicide Crisis Helpline first if you are thinking about suicide or self harm. If alcohol or drug use is part of the crisis, the Department of Social Development line connects you to counselors trained in substance abuse. For a general mental health concern that does not feel like an emergency, the Cipla Mental Health Helpline or the Adcock Ingram Depression and Anxiety Helpline are good starting points. Counselors on every line keep what you share confidential, except where South African law requires reporting a risk to life.