Central SA
North West hospital asks for help to locate relatives of deceased patients─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 14:59 Mon, 28 Oct 2024
Witrand Hospital in Potchefstroom has issued an urgent public appeal to find relatives of two elderly patients who passed away after spending decades there.
Witrand Psychiatric Hospital in Potchefstroom has issued an urgent public appeal to find relatives of two elderly patients who passed away after spending decades there.
If family members don’t come forward, arrangements for a pauper’s funeral must be made, said acting head of communications Nico Masiu.
Details of the deceased patients:
- Herman Meulman
- Age: 77
- Date of Birth: 22 February 1947
- Date of Admission: 2 July 1957 (admitted at age 10)
- Date of Passing: 9 October
Masiu said Meulman was admitted to Witrand Hospital from Vanderbijlpark, and has remained there since, with no leave of absence. He was the oldest of four siblings. His younger brother, L.G. Meulman, was last known to stay in Glen Marais, Kempton Park. But family contact was lost more than a decade ago.
- Johannes Gerhardus Breedt
- Age: 42
- Date of Birth: 7 July 1982
- Date of Admission: 7 December 1990 (admitted at age 8)
- Date of Passing: 8 October
Masiu said Breedt was admitted from ES le Grange School, Potchefstroom. His mother, Maria Johanna Sceepers, last resided at Skeerpoort near Brits. The family’s last contact with the hospital was in 2019.
‘Efforts to locate family members have been unsuccessful’
The hospital has worked with local police to locate family members, including conducting home visits to the last known addresses, but efforts have been unsuccessful.
Masiu emphasised the hospital’s commitment to confidentiality. “We respect the privacy of our patients and are obligated to keep their identities secure.”
Witrand Psychiatric Hospital in North West, photo: Facebook.
Witrand has an ongoing problem with long-term patients who’re never visited by family, said Masiu. With provincial health authority approval, the hospital plans to “profile and publish photos of patients who have not been visited in the past two years”.
Witrand Hospital urges anyone with information about the families of Herman Meulman or Johannes Breedt to contact its social worker Carien Uren at 018 294 9315/9178/9180.
