Mental patient deaths: Cope lays charges

The Congress of the People (Cope) has laid charges against the Northern Cape health authorities for being allegedly responsible for the death and suffering of mental health patients.

- Masoka Dube

This, after the health ombud's recent findings indicated that the death of two patients and the suffering of the other two were caused by a lack of electricity, mismanagement and related factors.

Acting national chair Pakes Dikgetsi called on authorities to deal harshly with those responsible for the tragedy and hold them accountable.

Dikgetsi said Cope had opened a case of murder, attempted murder and culpable homicide at Kimberley police station against the management of the Northern Cape department of health, RMS Hospital and the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital.

He said the tragedies happened because the provincial health system was poorly managed and neglected by the leaders.

"What happened in these hospitals is more than just a tragedy. It is a crime and it is hard to believe that in a democratic South Africa, patients in government care could die from the cold.