Urgent intervention sought as Witrand Psychiatric Hospital struggles with mounting infrastructure failures
- Karen Scheepers
- Jul 10
- 2 min read
A laundry pile-up, three-year boiler outage and security blind spots have pushed Witrand Psychiatric Hospital to “crisis point”, according to a 7 July oversight report by the Democratic Alliance (DA). The party has written to North West Health MEC Sello Lehari demanding that the province step in, saying the hospital’s own budget and procurement rules cannot cover the repairs.
Oversight visit highlights critical shortfalls
During a 2 July site inspection, DA MPL Hendriëtte van Huyssteen found that only one small and one large industrial washing machine and three tumble-dryers remain operational, creating a backlog of dirty linen that now spills into corridors. Staff have been loading laundry onto trucks and transporting it 50–150 km to Klerksdorp or Mahikeng, an “unsustainable” stop-gap that still leaves wards short of clean bedding and gowns.
Laundry backlog raises hygiene risks
Hospital workers told the delegation that a full wash cycle now produces more wet linen than the dryers can handle, forcing them to stack soiled bags wherever space is available. Without adequate linen rotation, infection-control protocols are increasingly difficult to maintain for Witrand’s 450-plus mental-health and intellectual-disability patients.
Boiler breakdown leaves wards cold
Industrial boilers that once powered roller irons, produced kitchen steam and piped hot water to wards have been out of service for roughly three years. Kitchen staff rely on gas burners, 43 electric geysers have been procured for basic washing needs, and patient rooms cannot be heated during winter nights when temperatures in Potchefstroom routinely fall below 2 °C.
Security blind spots in food areas
The DA report notes a complete absence of CCTV cameras in food-production and delivery bays, warning that any theft “is food that never reaches an already vulnerable patient cohort”. The party wants camera installation fast-tracked through provincial supply-chain channels.
Provincial purse strings hold the key
Because the necessary equipment, industrial washers, dryers, boilers and surveillance systems, exceeds the hospital’s procurement ceiling, all replacements must be funded and sourced by the North West Department of Health. The DA argues that continued delays breach both the Patient Rights Charter and the Disability Rights Charter, which guarantee safe, dignified care.
Department already facing separate probe
Witrand has been under heightened scrutiny since MEC Lehari ordered a nine-member investigation panel on 25 June following the death of a long-term patient and allegations of neglect. The panel’s mandate runs until 1 August 2025, with findings to inform possible disciplinary or criminal action.
The department previously issued a 9 May media release defending its management of Witrand but acknowledging “maintenance backlogs” and the need for capital upgrades across specialised hospitals.
Unions and civil society add pressure
Healthcare unions have since called on the province to widen the investigation, saying chronic understaffing, poor infrastructure and safety lapses extend well beyond a single fatality and facility. “These are systemic issues that need urgent attention,” a spokesperson said on 30 June.
What happens next?
While politicians trade blame and investigations proceed, patients at Witrand Psychiatric Hospital continue to sleep under unwashed sheets in unheated wards. For families and frontline staff, the real test will be whether provincial coffers and political will, arrive before winter’s coldest nights do.
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