24 June 2002
In May 2001, a 17 year old patient, Logan Klingenberg died at the Centre amid allegations of torture. Consequent to the intervention by the Department of Social Development, the Midlandia barracks, which was allegedly used for torture, was officially closed. At that stage the Centre was not officially registered with the Department and in fact did not meet the basic requirements for registration. That notwithstanding, the Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya, decided not to close the Centre, as he was entitled to do by law, but instead directed that the Department should set processes in motion to assist the Centre in its endeavours to meet the said requirements. In pursuance of this directive, the Department granted provisional registration to the Centre until 30 April 2002, which provisional registration was subsequently extended until the end of July 2002.
During April 2002, the Department received sworn statements alleging continued violation of human rights at the centre. Some of the allegations contained in the sworn statements were amplified by subsequent media reports regarding allegations of inhumane treatment of patients at the centre. The media reports included allegations of patients b!rnight and also subjected to electric shocks.
Consequently, the Minister instituted an investigation and set up an investigating team, led by an Umtata Chief Magistrate, Mr Dickson Ncapayi, following receipt by the Department.
The investigating team was scheduled to begin its work on 6 and 7 June 2002. The investigation was postponed at the request of the centre to 24 June 2002. However, the Centre, through its lawyers, has indicated its reluctance to cooperate with the investigation and has threatened to deny the team access to the premises.
The Minister is calling on the Management of the Noupoort Christian Care Centre to cooperate with the investigating team.
"We urge the Management of the Centre to give their co-operation in the interest of all concerned so as to expedite the finalisation of the investigation. We have to get to the bottom of this matter once and for all. We furthermore appeal to the leaders of the church, with which the Centre is associated, to urge the Management of the Centre to cooperate with the investigation if there is nothing to hide. We all have a moral and a constitutional duty to ensure that there is respect for human rights and the rule of law at all times and in all spheres of our endeavours." said the Minister.
Issued by : Ministry of Social Development