The SA Federation for Mental Health [SAFMH] unequivocally condemns the negligence of Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital [NCMHH] and Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital [RMSH] as reported by the Health Ombudsman report released yesterday.
Commissioned by Minister for Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, in October 2024, the investigation into NCMHH and RMSH found that the overall care at the two hospitals was below standard, resulting in the deaths of two patients and leaving another bedridden after undergoing brain surgery. Health Ombud, Professor Taole Mokoena said:
The investigation concluded that the general care provided at the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital and the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital to the patients was substandard, and patients were not attended to in a manner consistent with the nature and severity of their health condition, as required by Regulation 5 (1) of the Norms and Standards Regulations Applicable to Different Categories of Health Establishments, 2018.”
SAFMH condemns the poor treatment of persons with mental health conditions in the care of duty bearers who are entrusted not only to care for them, but also to uphold their human rights in the process. We are yet to see justice for those who died in the Life Esidemeni tragedy in 2016. Nine years on, and we have still not seen any meaningful progress being made to significantly improve services to persons with mental health conditions in the country. SAFMH Deputy Director, Leon de Beer, says:
It is absolutely unacceptable that we continue to see deaths of persons with mental health conditions in institutions that are meant to treat them and uphold their human rights in the process. While the shadow of the Life Esidimeni tragedy still looms large over the South African mental health sector, and families still wait for justice to be served almost nine years after the tragedy occurred, these types of events illustrate that there is still no full commitment to human rights with regard to the lives of persons with mental health conditions. Somehow, it remains acceptable that their rights and health continue to be trampled on. Well, it’s not. And those responsible need to be punished to the full extent of the law, while the government needs to start pulling up its socks in terms of prioritising mental health as a core component of health, so that South Africa may restore some of its faith in those tasked to care for society’s most vulnerable”.
SAFMH appreciates the concerns expressed by Dr Motsoaledi and welcomes plans to refer the matter for further investigation. That being said, the failure of NCMHH and RMSH to uphold the human rights of persons with mental health conditions is unacceptable.
As a mental health-focused, human-rights organisation, SAFMH believes that access to quality mental health care is a human right. As such, we call for immediate action from the National Department of Health as well as the Northern Cape Provincial Department of Health to adequately address the findings from this investigation. We want to hear how resources for mental health will be prioritised, and we want to see the clear implementation of the National Mental Health Policy Framework (2023-2030), a document that is meant to be anchored in human rights. We want to see good mental health realised for all in South Africa. This is non-negotiable.
For media enquiries and more information, please contact:
Michel’le Donnelly – Project Leader: Advocacy & Awareness
CELL: +27 (0)79 799 6533
EMAIL: michel’le@safmh.org
