South Africa recorded 98,605 deaths from cardiovascular disease in 2021, according to the World Heart Federation, as the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa uses Heart Awareness Month this September to warn that many of these deaths are preventable.
The federation’s country scorecard lists South Africa’s age-standardised cardiovascular mortality at 256 per 100,000 people, while crude mortality stood at 173 per 100,000 in the same year. The main burden comes from heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease, according to the World Heart Federation’s country report.
Statistics South Africa data shows the problem has been worsening over time. CVD deaths rose from 12.9% of all deaths nationally in 2008 to 17.6% in 2018, with an age-standardised mortality rate of 173.39 per 100,000 recorded that year.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa describes cardiovascular disease — which includes heart disease and stroke — as the leading cause of death in the country after HIV/AIDS. The foundation’s annual report states that one in three South African adults has hypertension, a key risk factor for cardiovascular events.
September is officially recognised as Heart Awareness Month in South Africa, culminating in World Heart Day on 29 September. The South African government confirmed the observance on its official events calendar, noting the month is dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular disease and its risk factors.
“Cardiovascular disease (CVD — which includes heart disease and stroke) is the leading cause of death in South Africa after HIV/AIDS,” the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa said in materials published for the awareness campaign. The foundation highlighted hypertension, diabetes, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, smoking, and alcohol use as the primary modifiable risk factors driving the crisis.
For communities across the Cape Flats and greater Cape Town, the data carries particular weight. Public health researchers have long noted that lower-income areas face higher exposure to risk factors such as poor diet linked to food insecurity, limited access to screening, and the compounding stress of socio-economic hardship — all of which elevate cardiovascular risk.
The SABC News report that prompted this story, headlined “Foundation warns of deadly consequences of cardiovascular disease,” could not be independently verified as the original text was not available for review. Any specific claims, named speakers, or new mortality figures attributed to the SABC item remain unconfirmed.
What is confirmed: the underlying mortality data from the World Heart Federation and Statistics South Africa, the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s published awareness materials, and the government’s official recognition of Heart Awareness Month. Cape Flats News journalist Nadia Jacobs will seek comment from the Western Cape Department of Health on provincial cardiovascular mortality trends and any local screening initiatives planned for September by 5 September 2025.