Kimberley Psychiatric Hospital: 'It's like a jungle'
The facility has been described as a 'monument of corruption.'
Picture: Pixabay
Pippa Hudson speaks with Carte Blanche producer, Jana Marx.
Listen to the interview in the audio below.
In 2016, the Life Esidimeni scandal broke, and it has since been called one of the greatest human rights violations in South African history.
144 patients at psychiatric facilities in Gauteng died from starvation and neglect after being moved by the health department out of their former private healthcare provider.
Eight years later the situation is not much better.
Carte Blanche visited what is supposed to be a state-of-the-art psychiatric hospital in Kimberley, which provincial premier Dr Zamani Saul described as ‘a monument of corruption.’
“Not even the premier could turn a blind eye.”
- Jana Marx, Carte Blanche producer
The process of building this hospital was disastrous, taking ten years longer than expected to build and costing seven times the budget.
Marx says this was supposed to have state of the art equipment, forensic facilities, and a unit for those who cannot be sentenced to prison due to mental health issues.
However, Marx’s team found the facilities at the hospital was nowhere near up to standard.
There are holes in the ceilings, there has been no power for months, and there is often no water to even flush the toilets because of the electricity issues.
“It is like a jungle around that hospital.”
- Jana Marx, Carte Blanche producer
She says the families of these patients feel that the government is letting them down and they have nowhere else to go.
She adds the hospital does have enough money to provide adequate care, but the funds are severely mismanaged.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.