Diabetes is now the leading natural cause of death in South Africa, marking a significant shift in the nation’s disease burden. According to Stats SA, diabetes mellitus caused 27,692 deaths in 2023, accounting for 5.8% of all recorded deaths.
Cerebrovascular diseases, including strokes, accounted for 5.4% of deaths. Hypertensive diseases caused 5.2% or 25,018 deaths. Tuberculosis and HIV ranked fourth and fifth.
These figures illustrate the increasing impact of non-communicable diseases as deaths from major infectious diseases decline. The diabetes crisis also presents significant financial challenges for healthcare providers and employers.