Dr. George Mukhari Hospital Scandal: Mental Patients Abused

Shocking Abuse at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital: Mental Patient Dies in Freezing Seclusion Room, Fire Breaks Out Amid Safety Failures

A new health ombud report reveals horrific abuse at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Tshwane, where mental patient Lerato Mohlamme died in June 2024. Investigators found she was starved, denied medicine, and locked in a freezing seclusion room wearing only underwear during winter, leading to a fire that caused her death. The hospital, a key teaching site, is overcrowded and rundown, with violations including ignored sexual assault claims, punitive food and drug withholding, improper restraints, and locked emergency exits that delayed rescue.

The ombud urges better infrastructure, staff training, and probes into involved personnel by professional councils. Mental health advocates call the ongoing deaths unacceptable, pointing to weak human rights commitment. The health minister pushes provinces for oversight boards and awareness programs. Meanwhile, the ombud also probed a babys death at Netcares Femina hospital in May 2023 due to a prescribing error and poor shift handovers. Netcare is strengthening drug checks, protocols, and nurse oversight, plus mediating with the family. Both cases breach the core medical rule of doing no harm, says the minister. Dr George Mukhari now tops the list for overhaul, with a ten billion rand public-private partnership in the works to rebuild it and save lives moving forward.

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