The family of a mental healthcare patient who died after a fire broke out in the psychiatric unit at George Mukhari Academic Hospital say they want those responsible for her death to be arrested and put in jail.
This comes after the health ombud on Monday revealed the findings of an investigation into Lerato Mohlamme’s death, including that her alleged sexual assault was not properly assessed or reported to law enforcement by the hospital.
Speaking to Sowetan, Mohlamme‘s sister Molebogeng said they took her to a place they thought was safe and would help her, but they were wrong.
As a result, she said, they can’t heal fully until they see those responsible for the 35-year-old woman’s June 2024 death behind bars.
“I’m very hurt. Imagine my sister died because of delays in food, without medication, without water.
According to Molebogeng, her sister was put in an isolation ward and no-one checked on her.
“So it’s very devastating ... One can’t heal from it because we took her to the hospital, thinking that it was the safest place for her to go, but unfortunately, we were wrong. George Mukhari was not a safe place for her. We just want justice. That’s all,” she said.
Molebogeng added that they are still going through the findings before taking the necessary steps.
“As a family, we are still busy. Remember, we got the findings today, so we’re going to get back to them. We’re going to call the ombud and explain what’s taking place, and we’ll see, but we cannot just let it go. There’s no way. We want someone to be held responsible; there must be people who go to jail. So all those people who are involved must also face the pain that we have faced. They might be charged,” she said.
Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi said they would take full responsibility for any wrongdoings flagged by the ombud.
“So we deeply regret and take full responsibility for the errors that have been identified by the office of the ombud, especially regarding the rights of mental healthcare users in our institution, including the inappropriate use of punitive practices, inadequate infrastructure, inadequate staffing and insufficient staff knowledge in terms of mental healthcare needs,” he said.
He added that those identified by the report would face consequences.
“We have no intention to disguise our disappointment, but we also have no intention to put forward excuses. Those identified in the report will be handed over to the MEC responsible so that appropriate action can be taken. We also want to learn from this incident and ensure that all our hospitals comply with these recommendations,” Lesufi said.
Minister of health Aaron Motsoaledi described Mohlamme’s time at the hospital as inhumane.
“The investigation found systemic violations, including punitive practices, inadequate infrastructure, staffing shortages and insufficient knowledge of the Mental Health Act.
“We will implement the recommendations and report progress as required. However, withholding food and medication has nothing to do with infrastructure — it is inhumane. These matters will be referred to professional bodies for action,” he said.
Molebogeng said she is sure her sister is resting peacefully now, knowing what she suffered has been brought to light.
“My sister was a loving person, very sweet, took care of and loved her kids, and she was a fighter. I know she was a fighter, wanting to make sure that this day happens. That’s why I say, even if she may rest, she wasn’t resting, but today she has gone to rest because she got what she wanted. So my sister was a loving person. Unfortunately, life wasn’t fair to her,” she said.
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