Pretoria - North West Premier Thandi Modise says the death of a woman, who is suspected to have fallen into a manhole in Bloemhof, raises questions on the level of care for the mentally ill within communities.
According to police, the 50-year-old woman's family had been looking for her since she left their home on Tuesday night.
It is alleged that a relative reported that she saw the woman’s body in a flooded manhole around midday on Wednesday, which was subsequently recovered by police divers around 3.30pm.
Police suspect that the deceased could not have seen the hole, which was filled with water.
“We are saddened by the tragic and untimely death, as a caring and compassionate government we call on communities and families to approach authorities to ensure that people with mental illnesses have access to quality psychiatric and professional medical health care,” said Modise on Thursday.
She said in addition to building the 648-bed Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital in Mahikeng, at a cost of R478 million, the provincial government would expand access to quality psychiatric and professional health care for people with mental illnesses by constructing community based psychiatric health care facilities.
Modise appealed to the Maquassi Local Municipality to ensure that the environment of its residents is safer and that there are no other similar unsafe manholes within its jurisdiction.
An inquest docket has been opened by police. – SAnews.gov.za
