I feel you don’t understand
MARION Conway’s mother, Anita, was one of the patients in MEC Qedani Mahlangu’s care. These edited e-mail exchanges between the two show the MEC’s attitude in black and white . . . From: Mahlangu, Qedani Sent: Wednesday, November 25 2015 at 14:29 To: Conway, Marion:
May I repeat what I said to you before that we will never throw patients in the streets because we have a duty to look after them! Equally families have a duty and responsibility to support and look after their loved ones and it cannot be correct that the state is expected to shoulder the responsibility on its own without the active participation of the families! We will always put the interest of the patients first and ensure that we provide the services much more efficient and cost effective!! Warmest Regards, Qedani
From: Conway, Marion Sent: Wednesday, November 25 2015 at 15:04 To: Mahlangu, Qedani
I feel that you don’t understand mental health because families would love to have their loved ones be with them full time. We are not handing over a responsibility to the department of health. The problem is the costs of mental health is extremely high and we are aware of this and we also do not have the facilities or full-time caregivers to take care of the patients.
Some of these patients can get all the amounts of medication over a period of years and can never ever be rehabilitated. This is called TREATMENT RESISTANT.
I wish my mother would not see dead people and hear strange voices all day. I wish my mother would sleep at night and not hide all the keys away and lock her things away. I wish my mother would not steal things and hide them away. I wish she could just be normal like all the other mothers. I wish I could rely on her like other mothers. I wish my mother didn’t talk nonsense and live in her early twenties. I wish my mother could be a grandmother to her grandchildren.
Unfortunately the grandchildren are scared of her. I wish I could take my mother to places without her feeling like people are against her. I wish my mother didn’t get angry and scream and shout when she gets paranoid. I wish she enjoyed the food I cooked and not belittle the way I could [sic] or the food I feed her. I wish my mother would trust me and wouldn’t think strange things all the time. My mother cannot even make it to the toilet in time and she turns only 56 years old tomorrow. Yes it is her Birthday. I wish our family could be normal when my mother comes home for weekends which I am actively involved in her life. My daughter lives with me with her two children aged two and six years old. I would never repeat the above life I had for any child.
Now try spending a day with a mental patient for you to actually understand what mental health actually is. From: Mahlangu, Qedani Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 15:32 To: Conway, Marion Hi Marion, I guess you have chosen to treat my reassurance and that of the department to suite [sic] your interpretation! I want to repeat again because this is what the department is here for! Your mother and many other patients will never be thrown in the street we will do everything humanly possible to look after each and every patient who needs to be cared for us!
English is my second language so may I should communicate to you in Zulu in future! If you want to meet with me because then you have to talk to my office to send the number. I wish you a blessed day further Marion! Qedani Dorothy Mahlangu !!!!!
Three hours after these exchanges, Conway receives this e-mail from Dr Makgabo Manamela, director of mental health: From: Manamela, Makgabo Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 18:34 To: Conway, Marion Dear Marion We really have a plan to address specific or individual issues.
One of the resolution and plea [sic] was that you direct all the queries to us rather than the MEC. Can’t you please show a little respect to her . . . I think I should be the one to take the whip.
NB furthermore note that your mother will always be our priority.
Keep well
I wish she could just be normal like all the other mothers