Globally, most young people living with mental health conditions lack access to mental health care but have access to a mobile device. The growing access to mobile devices in South Africa has the potential to increase access to mental health care services through digital platforms. However, uptake of digital mental health interventions may be hampered by several factors, such as privacy, confidentiality, informed consent, and affordability. This study identified the prospects and challenges of implementing a mobile phone-based mental health intervention for young people in Ingwavuma area. Data were collected from 93 young people in three villages purposefully selected in Ingwavuma area. Participants included in the study were aged 16–24. Data were collected through a questionnaire. Thematic and descriptive analysis was performed on the qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. Mental health education was low, with only 22% of participants having received prior education on mental health. About 50% of the participants had come across a mental health app, but none of them had used any of these apps; 87% of participants had Internet access; 60% preferred to use social media to contact a health worker; and 92% suggested that use of digital apps would improve mental health literacy among young people. Barriers to access of digital mental health interventions were identified as the high cost of data, restrictive religious beliefs, limited privacy, lack of native languages on most digital platforms, low digital literacy, and complicated user interface. In uMkhanyakude, uptake of digital mental health apps among the young people was low. We recommend that, developers create context-specific digital applications catered for young people from different cultural backgrounds. Socio-economic issues such as affordability also need to be addressed in developing these tools.

The burden of chronic noncommunicable diseases in rural South Africa is exacerbated by delayed health-seeking. This study explored awareness, beliefs and health-seeking behaviour relating to diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in Ingwavuma, a poor rural community in the uMkhanyakude district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Eight gender and age-stratified Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted in isiZulu using a pre-tested FGD guide with seventy-six participants. Thematic analysis was done to discern views on access to care for noncommunicable diseases. Findings revealed limited awareness of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular-related disease burden. The community practices medical plurality, and consultation with traditional healers precedes biomedical care for acute illness with symptoms like metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. Males prefer self-care and herbal remedies, probably due to cultural and masculinity expectations. Furthermore, distant health facilities and transport costs hinder biomedical care utilisation. Our study revealed the nuanced interaction of cultural and socioeconomic factors on chronic noncommunicable disease perception and health-seeking practices in Ingwavuma. The study indicates the need for improving access to primary healthcare facilities and community-based health promotion in partnership with community stakeholders to improve awareness and health-seeking behaviour.

South Africa faces a critical shortage of mental health service professionals and support for young people with common mental health disorders is inadequate. Social relationships that provide support to adolescents in South African communities are increasingly declining due to socio‐economic pressures. Developing ethical digital mental health innovations has potential to address provide services particularly in rural communities where mental health facilities are scarce. The active involvement of young people is critical to maximising uptake and reducing apathy on the use of digital innovations for mental health. Using the nominal group technique this study engaged young people in identifying stakeholders for setting up a community‐based mental health intervention in a rural community. Use of nominal group technique for stakeholder analysis proved to a useful tool for engaging young people. The stakeholder identification and analysis provided a base for inclusivity in developing digital innovations for mental health through identifying multi‐sector community stakeholders. It revealed that young people in the community have varying perceptions about the level of power and interest which their peers, family members, local leaders, health workers and social development organisations have in developing digital mental health interventions. This research contributes to our understanding of the ways in which to leverage young people's participation in project planning and decision‐making and building strong teams and alliances for developing digital innovations for mental health in marginalised rural communities.

This article frames a discussion on how South African universities and communities can co-create university spaces that facilitate repairing the country’s dented social, economic and political infrastructure through engaged creative-placemaking. The first section further explores the concept followed by a discussion of historical issues which have a material bearing on how universities can and should frame community engagement in South Africa. It pays close attention to how post-apartheid nation building is hindered by the remnants from the past and is dislocated to both the present and the future. The article also brings into question the type and role of leadership, in both universities and communities. The final section of the article presents a framework for engaged creative-placemaking delineating the antecedents that are needed by the key stakeholders, namely, public and private enterprises, university and the community to successfully work together in achieving a just society through creative-placemaking. Improving place liveability through engaged creative-placemaking has the potential to stimulate local economies and leads to cultural diversity, civic engagement and increased innovation.

Universities are expected to contribute towards the development of society through working collaboratively with communities. One of the many ways that the academy allows for community engagement is through the use of creative placemaking to intentionally inspire a raft of transformational changes to the economy, environment and physical and social infrastructure. However, the pursuit of transformational university community engagement is strewn with partnership challenges. Using a qualitative approach, this study engages selected key participants to assess the challenges, forms of power and influence underpinning the participation of different creative placemaking stakeholders and how their partnerships could be improved. Results revealed that partnership challenges include dissimilar management orientations, risk aversion and the reinforcement of unjust systems. The findings of the study suggest that engaged creative placemaking can be made effective through collaborative strategic thinking, strategic planning and the collective implementation of initiatives for it to be genuinely emancipatory, sustainable and scalable.

(2019). Music and Conflict Transformation in Zimbabwe. Peace Review: Vol. 31, SYMPOSIUM: MUSIC AND PEACE GUEST EDITOR: Andre J.P. Elias, pp. 289-296.