Mentally ill detainees concern the DA

Dennilton

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo, says it has written to the Provincial Commissioner of the Police in Limpopo, Lt. Gen Thembi Hadebe, to enquire about the availability of mentally ill detainees in custody at Dennilton Police Station instead of the detainees being housed in psychiatric care.

The party said the discovery was made during an oversight visit at the station last week.

“During our visit, we found 6 mentally ill detainees all cramped in one cell at the Dennilton Police Station. There are claims that they are detained at the police station on J7 detention warrants, issued by a magistrate due to the shortage of beds at the Thabamoopo Psychiatric Hospital in Lebowakgomo,” said Katlego Suzan Phala, DA Provincial Spokesperson on Transport and Community Safety.

Phala indicated that the Dennilton Police Station has six holding cells, which are in an appalling condition and one is vacant because it was vandalised by a mentally ill detainee.

According to Phala, a recent report on psychiatric hospitals, adopted in the Limpopo Legislature confirms that the Thabamoopo Psychiatric Hospital has a staff vacancy rate of 63%, has inadequate medical equipment, shortage of beds and patient clothing and  currently has 400 admitted patients. When fully operational, this facility can admit 786 patients.

“After a detainee is certified as mentally ill, the police officers are given the patient’s medication and are expected to dispense it correctly. The Dennilton Police Station is understaffed, under resourced and services a large geographical area. It is unacceptable that police officers, who already work under severe constraints have to deal with mentally ill detainees which they are not trained for because of our ailing provincial health systems,” she said.

Phala stated that the party will further escalate the matter in parliament to probe the collapse of the mental health institutions in Limpopo Province.