The Citizens Commission on Human Rights Africa

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WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY | 10 OCTOBER 2026 Theme: "Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change"Today we are n...
10/10/2026

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY | 10 OCTOBER 2026


Theme: "Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change

"Today we are not just posting slogans. We are remembering real people who lost their lives at Witrand Psychiatric Hospital.

They were mothers, daughters, sisters, sons. They were loved. Their families were told one story, but what they saw, and what the records show, tells another.

Choking, unexplained injuries, cases marked "unnatural causes" — then years of silence. Files that say "DELAYED, UNANSWERED, INCONCLUSIVE.

"Why are we telling you this today?
Because on World Mental Health Day, lived experience must be heard. The families lived it. They are still living it.

People who die inside psychiatric hospitals are not statistics. They are people who deserved protection, dignity, and truth.

We say WE MISS THEM because South Africa must not forget them.We have filed with the Health Ombudsman.

We are demanding:
An independent investigation into all deaths at Witrand
Protection for all vulnerable long-term patients
Full accountability and disclosure to families
They mattered. Their lives mattered.
The truth must come out.


SILENCE & STALLING: NORTH WEST HEALTH MEC CANCELS WITRAND HOSPITAL BRIEFING FOR SECOND TIME IN 48 HOURS - KLERKSDORP / P...
10/10/2026

SILENCE & STALLING: NORTH WEST HEALTH MEC CANCELS WITRAND HOSPITAL BRIEFING FOR SECOND TIME IN 48 HOURS - KLERKSDORP / POTCHEFSTROOM


How long can a government department dodge accountability when a citizen dies under its care?

That is the question mounting across South Africa after the North West Department of Health pulled the plug—for the second time in 48 hours—on its promised public briefing regarding the death of 40-year-old Quinton du Plessis at Witrand Psychiatric Hospital.

The Department had initially promised the du Plessis family, national media, and the public that the findings of an internal investigation panel, led by Prof. John Tumbo, would be delivered on Monday. When that was abruptly scrapped, the briefing was rescheduled for Wednesday at 10:00 AM at the Mmabatho College of Nursing.

Instead of answers, the public was met with yet another last-minute cancellation. No report. No transparency. No accountability.

What Is the Department Hiding?
Quinton du Plessis died inside a state facility after suffering unexplained physical trauma, neglected injuries, and severe alleged rights violations behind closed doors. His family’s search for the truth is now caught in a web of administrative delays.

"Repeatedly scheduling and cancelling a press briefing when a citizen has died in state care is not an administrative delay—it is institutional lack of responsibility & evading accountability," said Maurithus Meiring, Coordinator for the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Africa. "Every hour the MEC stalls, transparency is denied to a grieving family, and vulnerable patients remain exposed to a failing system."

A Facility in Collapse: Cold Showers, Broken Boilers, and Systemic Neglect

The tragedy surrounding Quinton du Plessis is not an isolated incident. Reports of unnatural deaths, unexplained disappearances, and extreme neglect at Witrand date back to at least 2017.

Recent investigations and whistleblowers paint a harrowing picture of day-to-day life inside the facility:

Boiler & Laundry Collapse:
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has repeatedly called for emergency intervention following the complete breakdown of the facility’s boilers and laundry systems.

Winter Hypothermia:
For over a year, psychiatric patients have been forced to bathe in ice-cold water. During the bitter winter months, multiple patients had to be treated for severe hypothermia.

Deprivation of Basic Needs:
Families report horrific living conditions, including substandard food, a complete lack of clean clothing, and inadequate bedding.

Union Outcry:
Even trade union NEHAWU has voiced alarm over the hazardous, degrading conditions under which health workers are forced to operate.

Pattern of Evasion as Docket Moves to DPP
This double cancellation comes amidst mounting national media coverage from outlets including social media IOL News, Maroela Media, and MedicalBrief.

Police dockets surrounding the deaths have now been transferred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Mahikeng, confirming the potential criminal severity of the case. Yet, the administrative leadership of the North West Health Department continues to stonewall.

CCHR Africa is calling on North West Health MEC Sello Lehari to immediately:

Release the Report: Hand over the full, unredacted Prof. John Tumbo investigation report to the du Plessis family and the public without further delay.

Explain the Cover-Up: State publicly why the briefing was cancelled twice and name the official who authorized the suppression of the findings.

Open the Doors: Grant unhindered, independent human rights inspectors immediate access to Witrand Hospital to audit patient safety.

How many more patients must suffer or die before the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Health Ombudsman take decisive action?

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Do you or your family have experience with Witrand Hospital or healthcare facilities in the North West?

The truth only comes to light when communities speak up.

Leave a comment below with your thoughts or personal experiences.

SHARE this post to make sure this story cannot be swept under the rug.

Together, we must demand immediate reform of the Mental Health Care Act and mandate strict, independent oversight in every facility.


10/10/2026

A MESSAGE FROM QUINTIN DU PLESSIS FAMILY

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY | 10 OCTOBER 2026 Theme: "Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change"Today we are ...
10/10/2026

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY | 10 OCTOBER 2026


Theme: "Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change

"Today we are not just posting slogans. We are remembering real people who lost their lives at Witrand Psychiatric Hospital.

They were mothers, daughters, sisters, sons. They were loved. Their families were told one story, but what they saw, and what the records show, tells another.

Choking, unexplained injuries, cases marked "unnatural causes" — then years of silence. Files that say "DELAYED, UNANSWERED, INCONCLUSIVE.

"Why are we telling you this today?
Because on World Mental Health Day, lived experience must be heard. The families lived it. They are still living it.

People who die inside psychiatric hospitals are not statistics. They are people who deserved protection, dignity, and truth.

We say WE MISS THEM because South Africa must not forget them.We have filed with the Health Ombudsman.

We are demanding:
An independent investigation into all deaths at Witrand
Protection for all vulnerable long-term patients
Full accountability and disclosure to families
They mattered. Their lives mattered.
The truth must come out.


10/10/2026

A MESSAGE FROM JULIE MARILYN MCCARTHY'S FAMILY

WHAT JULIE'S DEATH CERTIFICATE REALLY SAYS When long-term resident Julie Marilyn McCarthy died at Witrand Speciali...
10/10/2026

WHAT JULIE'S DEATH CERTIFICATE REALLY SAYS


When long-term resident Julie Marilyn McCarthy died at Witrand Specialised Hospital, the explanation given to her family was that she choked. Her family saw severe facial trauma that did not match that explanation.

They asked for answers.Now the official record speaks for itself. Julie’s official death certificate lists her cause of death as UNNATURAL CAUSES.

In South Africa, an unnatural death inside a state facility is not meant to end with an internal hospital note. By law, it requires a formal investigation and an inquest under the Inquests Act. Years later, her family say they are still waiting for that inquest.

The document exists. The investigation has not finished. What the family is calling for:

1. NPA to audit the docket: For the National Prosecuting Authority to review the case file and address the delay.

2. Formal inquest: For the Magistrate’s Court to open inquest proceedings to determine cause and circumstances.

3. Accountability for delays: For a review of why required legal steps after an unnatural death ruling were not followed.Julie’s case is not described by families as isolated.

Other families linked to Witrand, including those of Quinton du Plessis and Bakang Boitumelo have reported similar concerns about harm, unexplained deaths, and lack of answers in psychiatric facilities across South Africa.

If your loved one died in a psychiatric facility and the death was ruled unnatural, or if you saw unexplained injuries and were met with silence, you can contact CCHR Africa confidentially.

We document. We do not diagnose.

Comment JUSTICE if you believe an unnatural death certificate must lead to a full inquest and justice.

Share to help break the silence.

Sources: Republic of South Africa, Inquests Act 58 of 1959 • Department of Home Affairs, Death Certificate: McCarthy, J.M.


FROM 2 DEATHS TO 10 CASES: CCHR AFRICA EXPOSES MASSIVE ESCALATION IN WITRAND PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL CRISIS POTCHE...
02/10/2026

FROM 2 DEATHS TO 10 CASES: CCHR AFRICA EXPOSES MASSIVE ESCALATION IN WITRAND PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL CRISIS


POTCHEFSTROOM, NORTH WEST — The Citizens Commission on Human Rights Africa (CCHR Africa) has revealed a massive escalation in the human rights crisis at Witrand Psychiatric Hospital. While initial national media broadcasts highlighted two tragic patient fatalities, CCHR Africa has now formally documented a total of 10 cases of severe institutional negligence, including 6 confirmed deaths.

Following recent public broadcasts, an additional eight families have stepped forward to report a horrifying pattern of unexplained physical injuries, systemic security failures, and profound clinical neglect at the Potchefstroom facility.
Among the core cases is Quinton du Plessis (40), who died in June 2025 with severe, unexplained bruising. Subsequent forensic medical testing confirmed a sexual assault had occurred within seven days prior to his death. A second verified case involves a female patient from Ward 3 who absconded from the facility due to a total breakdown in security and was killed by a vehicle on Promosa Road in August 2025.

Despite North West Health MEC Sello Lehari publicly admitting to "serious weaknesses in patient care, staffing, infrastructure, security and clinical management systems," the department’s response remains entirely inadequate.

"When severe neglect and abuse occur repeatedly behind closed doors, it points to a systemic failure beyond a single incident," states Maurithus Meiring, National Coordinator for CCHR Africa.

"It exposes a culture of impunity. You cannot continue admitting vulnerable patients into a facility that the MEC himself admits has serious infrastructure and security failures."

CCHR Africa officially demands:
1. Immediate publication of all patient mortality reports at Witrand Hospital spanning the last 10 years.

2. An independent forensic audit led by external authorities, explicitly rejecting internal departmental reviews.

3. An immediate freeze on all new admissions to Witrand Psychiatric Hospital until comprehensive safety and security infrastructure is proven.

4. Immediate suspension of all clinical and security staff responsible for the care of the deceased patients pending a forensic inquiry.

CCHR Africa further calls upon the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to expedite its prosecutorial decision regarding the Quinton du Plessis docket, and urges Parliament and the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) to launch an immediate probe into the facility's security contracts, noting that only 16 out of 46 required CCTV cameras are currently operational.

Media Contact:
Maurithus Meiring, National Coordinator, CCHR Africa

FROM GOALKEEPER TO COMMUNITY PROTECTOR He was a goalkeeper. Protecting was his job. For over 15 years, that beca...
02/10/2026

FROM GOALKEEPER TO COMMUNITY PROTECTOR


He was a goalkeeper. Protecting was his job. For over 15 years, that became protecting vulnerable youth. ABFA vision was to rehabilitate derelict government school sports facilities at no cost to the school and government.

In 2009, African Brothers Football Academy (ABFA) took derelict, crime-attracting tennis courts at Gardens Commercial High School and at zero cost to state turned them into two floodlit, safe 5-a-side fields. The model was to provide 3 x 5vs5 courts and rehabilitate the derelict full size football field. To start the academy, provide the facilities, coaching, equipment, maintenance of facility free of charge to GCHS.

ABFA gave homeless football enthusiasts opportunity to become involved in the coaching and maintenance of the academy. Sustainability was achieved by renting the courts and facility to the community, which financed the upkeep and academy to provide youth opportunity to play league football.

It was a safe space that worked:
Evening community bookings, corporate 5-a-side leagues and weekend social leagues funded free coaching for 150-200 vulnerable youth yearly. No government funding. Self-sustaining. Kids who had nowhere after school had structure, coaching, belonging away from drugs and gangs. Parents and Community Policing Forum supported it. The academy was used to prepare the 2005 Homeless World Cup team to play in Italy.

Then government took down that safe space. City of Cape Town issued zoning complaints, calling the safe space "commercial". Hours cut 60%, killing income that funded free coaching. IOL 3 Sept 2014: "Soccer academy cries foul." Council approved community rezoning 17 April 2014, but damage done. DA sponsored project Grass Boots FC denied ABFA the opportunity to join the league after commuting in writing by Stuart Diamond that he would sanction ABFA joining the league. Then reneged on the agreement.

Plan was to scale model through African Brothers Foundation to rebuild other derelict school fields. A house next to academy was secured as HQ for international coaches and social workers for Coach the Coach programs and at-risk youth, and offices for LOLO Foundation, in honour of Mihlali LOLO Morris, renowned at Academy for resilience despite failed kidney transplants, to care for terminally ill children and families.

Instead the Housing Scheme Working Committee (HSWC) - Human Settlements Western Cape - and the DA Human Settlements intervened. Per founder, HSWC went back on agreements, changed zoning by-laws with no due process, presented incorrect entities and hearsay in High Court, committing perjury with impunity.

Judgement used wrong name, blocking him from operating any business/foundation or receiving funding. Illegally evicted to streets after spending all capital on legal fees, forced to self-represent. Academy taken over. Foundations forced to close. Vulnerable youth lost opportunity. Safe space gone.

"HSWC and DA destroyed 34 years work and left me homeless. All I request is fair tribunal to resolve amicably and allow me to contribute again.

"From protecting a net to protecting children, government took down a safe space that gave vulnerable youth opportunity.

ABFA aim was to implement the Vision and model to as many schools as possible. Unfortunately, bureaucratic red tape, reverse racism, and a lack of commitment providing youth with the opportunity to dream!

A CALL TO ACTION - CCHR AFRICA
Demands Fair Tribunal
Restore Safe Spaces
Protect our Youth

Show your support for Craig's good work by sharing this post and let him know you stand with him and what he is trying to achieve.

02/10/2026

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCHDOG DEMANDS ACCOUNTRABILITY


Human Rights watchdog demands accountability as two die in Witrand Specialized Hospital in Potchefstroom

POTCHEFSTROOM – The Citizens Commission on Human Rights Africa (CCHR Africa) says the North West Department of Health's response to the deaths of two patients at Witrand Psychiatric Hospital is inadequate, following a report aired on SABC News last night, 1 October 2026.

The mental health watchdog has alleged abuse and neglect in the country's mental health institutions. The organization's Coordinator Maurithus Meiring, who was interviewed on SABC News, said the deaths are an indicator of systemic failure:

"There are serious questions that the department was supposed to take up in this press conference, they didn't come with answers and what we are asking for is very simple.

These patients have rights and these families have been very badly hurt. This thing of them saying they don't have answers, they are still waiting on investigations, but patients who they are responsible for have died.

This is our major concern and we want accountability."

Although North West Health MEC Sello Lehari has admitted that their investigation into the death of Quinton Du Plessis at Witrand in 2025 found the hospital had longstanding weaknesses, the department refuted allegations of neglect and abuse:

"The investigation identified serious weaknesses in patient care, staffing, infrastructure, security and clinical and management system at Witrand, these are matters within the department's responsibility and we must address them.

"CCHR Africa says the MEC's admission confirms what families have reported for years.

CCHR AFRICA DEMANDS :
1) Full public release of both death investigation reports
2) Criminal accountability
3) Independent safety audit of Witrand

Media:
SABC News broadcast, 1 October 2026 – Reporter Simthabile.

THE 1960's TAKEOVER PLAN How was Healing hijacked for Profit?By the 1950s, psychiatry had a problem. The warehou...
02/10/2026

THE 1960's TAKEOVER PLAN


How was Healing hijacked for Profit?

By the 1950s, psychiatry had a problem. The warehouses were exposed. Photos leaked of mentally ill and disabled people naked, starved, lying in own filth in state asylums. The public was horrified.

The moral treatment truth was coming back, people were demanding real Safe Spaces again, and psychiatry was losing profits fast. So the industry didn't bring back the farms. They launched a takeover plan.

1955-1961 - The Report.
Congress passed Mental Health Study Act in 1955 creating the Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health (36 agencies). Final report Action for Mental Health published April 3, 1961.

It called for community clinics to replace state hospitals and to double spending in 5 years, triple in 10.

Oct 31, 1963 - The Law.
Kennedy signed the Community Mental Health Act. It was his last piece of legislation signed before his assassination.

On paper: Care in communities.

The plan: To build 1,500 centers so people could be treated while working and living at home.

In reality: Only half of the proposed centers were ever built, and those were never fully funded. The average stay for schizophrenia was 11 years in 1963, the promise was to cut the state hospital population in half, but the community resources never came.

July 30, 1965 - The Hook.
Johnson signed Medicaid and Medicare. For the first time, federal money would pay for psychiatric care indefinitely. A patient in a healing farm pays nothing after he recovers. A patient on daily antipsychotics pays for life. Deinstitutionalization accelerated into full-scale national policy after 1965.

This was the switch:
From Safe Space that cures to prescription that controls.
From vegetable farm that feeds itself to chemical restraint that feeds industry. From "you can recover" to "you have a chemical imbalance for life".

They called it deinstitutionalization.
But they did not deinstitutionalize, they re-institutionalized people into a chemical straitjacket. The York Retreat taught patients to plant vegetables to sustain the home without slavery. The 1960s plan discarded that model. Why build a self-sustaining farm when you can build a self-sustaining customer?

South Africa copied it.
Close safe community places, push pills, bill medical aids. Tembisa Hospital shows where the money goes, not to food, blankets, or healing work for the mentally ill, but to tenders.

The plan worked. Today we have more mentally ill people in facilities, prisons and on streets than ever, because a real Place of Safety that heals was replaced by a prescription that restrains.

We need to reverse the takeover.
Reopen Safe Spaces that heal, not harm.

ACT NOW:
Comment SAFE - Reverse the takeover
Share this post and help us expose the plan

Sign the Informed Consent Petition and get others to sign it so that policy can be changed to real solutions.

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