You are not less of a man for feeling pain or asking for help - Ithete
Eliot Ipinge
Windhoek
Industries, mines and energy minister Natangue Ithete has urged Namibian men to reject violence and seek help rather than resorting to suicide.He also called on men to walk away from toxic relationships, saying no woman is worth killing or harming oneself over.
Speaking at the ministry’s first Men’s Conference for staff members this week, themed ‘Beyond Tradition: Men in Motion’, Ithete said societal expectations had trapped men in silence, fuelling alarming suicide rates.
“In 2025 alone, over 80% of recorded suicide deaths in Namibia were men. This is a crisis affecting our homes, workplaces and nation,” he stressed.
The minister emphasised that true strength lies in speaking up.
“You are not less of a man for feeling pain or asking for support,” he told attendees, calling for a national shift in how mental health is discussed.
Ithete urged men to move beyond the “men are strong” mentality and to seek support when needed. He added that the stigma around men showing pain must end.
Relationships struggles
But in candid off-script remarks later during the conference, Ithete delved into relationship issues, urging men to avoid violent confrontations over women.
“For us, to fight over a baby, or kill ourselves over a woman, it should just come to an end. She doesn’t want you? Leave it. There are too many fish in the sea,” he advised, drawing laughter and murmurs from the audience.
Ithere further urged men to be honest if they are involved with more than one woman.
“Let’s not be cowards by hiding it. If she wants you, she will still accept you. The biggest problem is when you lie and she finds out later,” he said.
Ithete also condemned men who pursue women in committed relationships, including married women, warning that such behaviour fuels conflict and mistrust among men. “We are the problem to ourselves. If you know she is with someone, don’t disturb others’ relationships,” he said.
Reflecting on changes in society, the minister noted that while public fights between men over women have declined, violence has shifted behind closed doors. “We stopped fighting each other, but then we started killing women and beating them. That is not progress,” he stressed.
Share and reflect
The conference, hosted at the ministry’s head office auditorium, forms part of the institution’s drive to improve male employees’ well-being and spark broader national dialogue on men’s mental health.
The ministry’s executive director, Moses Pakote, said the event aimed to provide a safe space for men to share, reflect and speak openly.
He challenged some traditional ideas of what it means to be a man today while celebrating those who lead with compassion, integrity and purpose.
The ministry says it plans to roll out similar initiatives and work with stakeholders to make mental health services more accessible, especially in rural areas.
The ministry noted that it recognises men’s mental health matters, particularly in the workplace.
Windhoek
Industries, mines and energy minister Natangue Ithete has urged Namibian men to reject violence and seek help rather than resorting to suicide.He also called on men to walk away from toxic relationships, saying no woman is worth killing or harming oneself over.
Speaking at the ministry’s first Men’s Conference for staff members this week, themed ‘Beyond Tradition: Men in Motion’, Ithete said societal expectations had trapped men in silence, fuelling alarming suicide rates.
“In 2025 alone, over 80% of recorded suicide deaths in Namibia were men. This is a crisis affecting our homes, workplaces and nation,” he stressed.
The minister emphasised that true strength lies in speaking up.
“You are not less of a man for feeling pain or asking for support,” he told attendees, calling for a national shift in how mental health is discussed.
Ithete urged men to move beyond the “men are strong” mentality and to seek support when needed. He added that the stigma around men showing pain must end.
Relationships struggles
But in candid off-script remarks later during the conference, Ithete delved into relationship issues, urging men to avoid violent confrontations over women.
“For us, to fight over a baby, or kill ourselves over a woman, it should just come to an end. She doesn’t want you? Leave it. There are too many fish in the sea,” he advised, drawing laughter and murmurs from the audience.
Ithere further urged men to be honest if they are involved with more than one woman.
“Let’s not be cowards by hiding it. If she wants you, she will still accept you. The biggest problem is when you lie and she finds out later,” he said.
Ithete also condemned men who pursue women in committed relationships, including married women, warning that such behaviour fuels conflict and mistrust among men. “We are the problem to ourselves. If you know she is with someone, don’t disturb others’ relationships,” he said.
Reflecting on changes in society, the minister noted that while public fights between men over women have declined, violence has shifted behind closed doors. “We stopped fighting each other, but then we started killing women and beating them. That is not progress,” he stressed.
Share and reflect
The conference, hosted at the ministry’s head office auditorium, forms part of the institution’s drive to improve male employees’ well-being and spark broader national dialogue on men’s mental health.
The ministry’s executive director, Moses Pakote, said the event aimed to provide a safe space for men to share, reflect and speak openly.
He challenged some traditional ideas of what it means to be a man today while celebrating those who lead with compassion, integrity and purpose.
The ministry says it plans to roll out similar initiatives and work with stakeholders to make mental health services more accessible, especially in rural areas.
The ministry noted that it recognises men’s mental health matters, particularly in the workplace.
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