Exotic names hide awful reality of places of ‘care’

MANY of the NGOs that took in patients from Life Esidimeni have no websites or phone numbers. Some families have reported that unstable patients had been put on taxis to go to clinics to get medication.

The Gauteng health department’s list of the NGOs that took in patients is incomplete and hard to understand.

Some names consist of a single word like “solution”, “Sharmma” or “Lapeng”.

Some are not on the Department of Social Development’s list of registered NGOs.

Precious Angels — where eight patients are believed to have died — was only registered on June 9.

The organisation operates at least two Pretoria facilities, in Atteridgeville and Danville.

The property in Atteridgeville is labelled Makabongwe Pathways, and is emblazoned with the inscription: “Intensive stimulation for children with disabilities.”

The facility was confirmed to be part of Precious Angels by the woman whose contact number is listed on the property’s wall. She refused to give further information.

“I’m not interested. No comment, my dear. Do not call me again. Sharp,” she said.

Another house in Atteridgeville also said to be registered to Precious Angels showed no sign of activity. But a neighbour confirmed that the unmarked brick house operated as a care centre for the “disabled and mentally ill”.

Abandoned mattresses and bed frames are stacked in a corner of the property’s yard. But despite the windows being open, no one responded to calls and knocks.

The property in Danville, which also has no signage, looked like most of the houses in the residential area. It is believed to be accommodating 29 patients.

A staff member with the name tag “Deborah” confirmed that the property was a Precious Angels facility but referred further inquiries to the manager, who was “in a meeting” and unavailable for comment.

Gauteng health department spokesman Steve Mabona this week described the Danville house as a home for mentally handicapped children.