New mental hospital must become monument of care and accountability

1 October 2019

The Democratic Alliance in the Northern Cape congratulates Premier Zamani Saul on ensuring that the long-awaited new mental hospital in Kimberley has finally opened its doors.

For as long as the Premier meets his commitments, the DA is willing to work with his government to improve the state of the Northern Cape.

While we can never forget that the hospital cost this province dearly, and left residents without adequate mental health care services for thirteen long years while it remained under prolonged construction, we are glad that it has finally become operational.

We sincerely hope that the growing number of mentally ill patients in the province will receive the much-needed specialised care that they deserve, through this facility. We also hope that the opening of this hospital will make mental health a priority and shift the quality and accessibility of mental health care services to a new and improved level.

The DA further appreciates the fact that Premier Zamani Saul, at the official opening of the hospital yesterday, did not shy away from the fact that the hospital is a monument to corruption. We now encourage him to transform this symbol of corruption into a shrine of accountability, by ensuring that every last person involved in the hospital corruption scandal is eventually brought to book.

The Premier owes this to all the people of this province, particularly those diagnosed with mental illnesses, who had their rights violated while being denied treatment and being housed in mixed gender wards and even jail cells.

Issued by Andrew Louw, DA Northern Cape Provincial Leader, 1 October 2019