Mom tells of harrowing ordeal with mentally ill son
It has been a confusing, painful journey for a mother who has been trying to get her mentally ill son institutionalised.
|||Johannesburg - It has been a confusing, painful journey for a mother who has been trying to get her mentally ill son institutionalised so he can receive professional help.
Letti Mofolo of Tsakane, Ekurhuleni, has been sent from pillar to post.
In June, The Star reported how Mofolo begged, pleaded and cried to hospital authorities for her 32-year-old mentally ill son to be transferred from Pholosong Hospital to a suitable mental institution after a violent outburst.
She spoke of her pain at her inability to adequately take care of her son at home as he was physically stronger than her and would often retaliate violently when she tried to help him.
Instead of being admitted to an appropriate institution, he was incarcerated at Boksburg Prison.
Mofolo had claimed she was ill-advised by a matron at the hospital to open a case against her son, who had become increasingly violent as he was defaulting on his bipolar medication.
Gauteng Health Department spokesman Steve Mabona had said they were in regular contact with Mofolo, trying to assist her.
He said a bed had been organised at the Sterkfontein psychiatric hospital, but that they were waiting for the case against the son to be withdrawn and for the necessary judicial processes for his transfer to be concluded.
On Monday, however, Mofolo told The Star that after her son had been sent for observation at Sterkfontein for a month during June and July, he was released into her care again, only to be violent towards her again.
"On August 11, I called the police yet again as he had been violent and not on his medication, because when he is home he defaults on it.
"The detectives took him to Pholosong Hospital and saidI should go to the Tsakane court to pick up court papers to take him to Sterkfontein. But the magistrate said that because of the incident, he'd go back to prison," said a confused Mofolo.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku confirmed Mofolo's son had been charged with malicious damage to property and assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.
"According to the instruction of the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions), the matter must proceed in terms of section 78 of the Criminal Procedure Act," he said.
The section deals with the situation where an accused person is found, by reason of mental illness or mental defect, not to be criminally liable for an act or omission which would otherwise have been punishable as a crime.
Mfaku said the man would be referred for another 30 days' observation at Sterkfontein at his next court appearance tomorrow.
vuyo.mkize@inl.co.za
The Star