According to Stats SA’s latest numbers diabetes mellitus was SA’s leading cause of death for the third consecutive year in 2024. Diabetes accounted for 6.1% of registered deaths; followed by hypertensive diseases at 5.5%.
Of 474,366 registered deaths, chronic diseases dominated among older people, while HIV and tuberculosis remained major causes among those aged 15–44. Diabetes was particularly prominent among women, causing 7.9% of female deaths, while TB led among men at 4.8%. -- TimesLive (30 September 2026)
Cardiovascular disease claims about 225 South Africans every day through heart attacks and strokes, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA. Together, the two account for almost one in six deaths, and more than half strike before age 65 - often felling breadwinners, parents and caregivers in midlife. – Daily Maverick (29 September 2026)