Healthcare workers’ unions in the North West say the provincial Health Department should broaden its scope of investigation into the death of a long-term patient at the Witrand Psychiatric Hospital in Potchefstroom.

The unions say the death and the absconding of another patient at a psychiatric ward at the Mafikeng Provincial Hospital are consequences of systemic failures in healthcare across the province.

A nine-member investigation team has been appointed to probe the death of the patient.

[WATCH] Healthcare workers’ unions in the North West say the provincial department of health should broaden its investigation beyond the death of a long-term patient at the Witrand Psychiatric Hospital in Potchefstroom. pic.twitter.com/sUSTx7Xfg6

— SABC News (@SABCNews) June 29, 2025

The patient’s family opened criminal cases after investigations showed that the deceased was severely neglected and sexually assaulted.

The North West health department has appointed a nine-member investigation team to probe the death of a patient at the Witrand Psychiatric Hospital in Potchefstroom. https://t.co/8d9p5tDWtk

— SABC News (@SABCNews) June 26, 2025

“Two weeks ago, one of our members at Tsheping hospital’s laundry department almost lost his hand while using a faulty machine that workers had reported repeatedly. We believe it is time for the department to start adopting a more proactive approach to these systemic problems in our health system, rather than a reactive one that is informed by the occurrence of tragedies,” says National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) Provincial Secretary, Zanele Lawu.

“There’s a mental health unit where there was a psych patient; it burnt down. There are also issues around patients assaulting each other in Witrand. These are culminations of the problems that are there,” adds Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA), Provincial Chairperson Mziwakhe Seleke.

VIDEO | Team appointed to probe Witrand Psychiatric Hospital patient’s death