ABSTRACT
Southern Africa as a region is diverse, generally very poor, and still strongly affected by the aftermath of colonialism. Since the fifteenth century when Portuguese sailors rounded the Cape of Good Hope at the foot of Africa, there has been a long and complex history of conquest, domination, resistance and political realignment. A mere few decades ago white minorities controlled political and economic life in all southern African countries; since the 1960s decolonization has occurred, culminating in the demise of apartheid and the inception of democracy in South Africa in 1994. In the postcolonial period, there have been three central challenges which have an important impact on mental health.
