‘Mahlangu ignored our warnings about risks’
“Christopher was a very energetic guy. He was a cheerful person, but when he moved to Rebafenyi, he seemed stressed and lost weight.”
On Lucas’s last visit to the centre, Christopher cried and didn’t want his brother to leave. “I had to keep assuring him that I would visit often. He looked disturbed and didn’t like the place at all.”
Lucas said the centre’s manager, known only as Noleen, had told him the department had forced patients on her, even though she had told officials she was not ready.
“When I last visited the place you could see it was still under construction. Taps were leaking, two toilets were not working and there was no security,” he said.
When the Sunday Times phoned Noleen this week, she refused to comment and hung up. Several other NGOs also declined to comment.
Mahlangu said at a press conference earlier this month that “NGOs will speak to the media at their peril”.
Section 27 first took the department to court in December last year to prevent it from discharging patients prematurely from Esidimeni. It won a temporary interdict, but lost a legal battle in March to stop adult patients being moved into Takalani children’s home.
Since then, 91 Esidimeni patients have been sent home and about 400 to Weskoppies, Sterkfontein and Cullinan psychiatric hospitals. The rest have been sent to NGOs.
The department confirmed in June that it was investigating the deaths of an unconfirmed number of patients at Takalani, including former Esidimeni patients.
“The 36 deaths should come as no surprise,” said Section 27 lawyer Umunyana Rugege.
“While deaths are horrible and tragic, patients continue to be accommodated in pretty awful conditions. This needs to be addressed to prevent the death toll rising,” she said.
Mvuyiso Talatala, head of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, said: “You cannot discharge patients in huge PRECIOUS ANGELS: The Makabongwe Pathways property in Atteridgeville, Pretoria FACELESS: This Atteridgeville house operates as a care centre for the ‘disabled and mentally ill’, neighbours say NO COMMENT: This house in Danville is a home for mentally handicapped patients numbers and move them to the next facility and not anticipate problems. It’s dangerous.
“It could be a particular patient who didn’t like to use blankets or needed a reminder to drink water. A new caregiver would not know their special needs,” he said.
Mahlangu declined requests for an interview, but Steve Mabona, her spokesman, said the department had responded to reports of unequipped NGOs and family concerns. “After revisiting NGOs, we took a decision to support them with food and fast-tracked payments. We also linked them to clinics and offered training to their employees,” he said.
The department did not comment on any legal action against the Siyabadinga centre.