Even after identifying that a mental health problem has been triggered, what access to mental healthcare is realistically available when it is even difficult for the middle class to access it consistently and in a way that is affordable?

According to Dr Kagisho Maaroganye, the public sector national convenor of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, a quick look at South Africa's health budget and its allocation shows that "mental healthcare continues to be allocated only 5% of the national public health budget, and since the health budget itself is declining in real terms, the mental health portion is actually declining in monetary terms".

In addition, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group reports that only one in 10 uninsured South Africans has access to the mental healthcare services they need. This is a grave statistic considering that only 15% of our population have medical insurance or medical aid, and that mental health is on a downward spiral in the country.

Mental health matters, but after reading my colleague Takudzwa Pongweni's recent article about a report by Sweepsouth on the declining state of the mental health of domestic workers, I realised that we often don't think about this as it relates to people who work in informal employment and earn low incomes, especially those who work in our homes.

This issue is usually explored and acted...