Mental Health Bill

Dear friends and colleagues

The Mental Health Care Bill is presently being discussed in the Health
Portfolio Committee. It is good that the bill is trying to address the
issue of greater transparency and is careful to respect the rights of
patients but the public also need protection.

I know that the elderly have some concerns about the ease with which
mental patients are being discharged, especially their own adult
children. The elderly are vulnerable and unable to defend themselves
against abuse. The bill appears to address this in that patients will be
released with conditions attached and the intention is to follow-up on
patients who have been released into the community. They hope to be
able to check on things like whether or not patients are taking their
medication.

A concern which is not being addressed in any way is that of state
patients (ch 6 of the Mental Health Care Bill). We have constituents
who are concerned about the ease with which murderers and rapists are
given "leave of absence" and even released from state institutions
without the affected communities being warned or consulted.

Those in the profession are adamant that they know what they are doing
but communities bare the brunt of their decisions. Those who have been
traumatised by seeing their sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and
friends brutally murdered or abused, who have not seen justice done and
are also in fear for their own lives are constantly at risk of suddenly
confronting the murderers and rapists without prior warning. Fear and
anger are powerful emotions and communities are inclined to want to take
the law into their own hands when justice is not seen to have been done.

I have asked E-News to investigate and report on this issue but would
suggest that concerned constituents make submissions regarding these
issues to the Chairman of the Health Portfolio Committee.

Dr Abe Nkomo
P.O. Box 15
Cape Town
Telephone No: 021- 403 3770
Fax No: 021- 4033177
email: handrews@parliament.gov.za

Please cc The Director General of the National Health Department
Tel: 021-4657407
Fax No: 021-4651575

and myself Cheryllyn Dudley MP (ACDP)
Fax No: 021 4619690
email: cdudley@acdp.co.za or mongezim@acdp.co.za

sincerely,

Cheryllyn Dudley MP
African Christian Democratic Party