Menlyn Park Shopping Centre cautiously resumed business on Monday, a day after employees bore witness to another suicide.
Menlyn Park mall suicide: Here’s what we know
As reported by Pretoria Rekord, authorities are probing the suspicious death of a 29-year-old man who, on Sunday morning, fell to his death from the top floor of the popular shopping centre.
Employees working on the Cavendish Court were left gobsmacked when, out of the blue, at approximately 09:45, an unidentified man was seen tumbling off the rails and plummeting to his death.
A loud thud rippled across the halls of the mall’s ground floor, and immediately, shoppers who were close enough gathered around the lifeless body of the man, wrenched by the horrific scene.
In a statement, Pro Med emergency officials confirmed that, by the time medics arrived at the scene, it was all too late.
At this juncture, Menlyn police are pursuing leads in a bid to determine what caused the man’s deathly plummet. While preliminary evidence suggests the unidentified 29-year-old man committed suicide, authorities are not ruling out other possibilities.
“We are currently not sure if he was pushed or jumped, however police are on scene busy with investigations,” Pro Med spokesperson Michael Gough said at the time.
Menlyn Park Shopping Centre resumed normal operations on Monday, and shoppers have, thus far, been allowed access to Cavendish Court.
Concerns grow over rising suicides in shopping malls
This is the second time in a month a man has fallen to his death from Cavendish Court. In early July 2022, Menlyn Park employees were left in utter dismay when an unidentified man, believed to be in his 30s, fell to his death from the mall’s third floor.
The fatal plummet is still the subject of an investigation to determine whether the victim was pushed or if, as it’s suspected, he committed suicide.
In June 2022, a woman sent shockwaves across South Africa when video footage surfaced online, showing her on the rooftop of Sandton City Mall, the same shopping centre where, in October 2021, a woman was caught on camera as she jumped to her death from the top floor.
Fortunately, in this case, a brave man was credited for talking the woman out of taking a fatal leap.
According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), at least 23 cases of suicide are reported in the country every day, a harrowing statistic that speaks volumes about the state of mental health in South Africa.
In South Africa, there are many resourceful organisations that are ready to assist you and your loved one in dealing with suicidal triggers. The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) is the country’s largest mental health advocacy group and their 24-hour hotline is free to use if you or a loved one needs help. You can reach them on 0800 456 789 (24 hours a day), SMS 31393, or visit their website for more info and help.