Search on for families of 10 Tower patients

Tower Psychiatric Hospital in Fort Beaufort has been struggling to locate the families of 10 patients, some of whom have lived at the facility for nearly 50 years, costing the provincial health department a total of R2-million.

If identified, nine of the 10 are fit for discharge.

The hospital is spending R9260.10 a year on each of the untraceable patients.

The patients are:

• Piet Molefe or Moehole has been at the hospital for 46 years. He was admitted on August 20 1970 as a transfer from Komani Hospital in Queenstown. He is originally from Theunissen, Vaalkopies farm in Odendaal in the Free State. His siblings are Maria Molefe and Moeketsi Mokhonto.

John Radebe has been at the hospital for 46 years. He was admitted on October 27 1970 as a transfer from Town Hill Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. He is originally from Dundee, Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal. He says his wife is Mita Dlamini and his children are Thandeka, Ntombifuthi, Mandlenkosi and Fikile. His brother is Jabulani.

Charlie Bibbs has been at the facility for 31 years. He was admitted on February 26, 1985 from Kirkwood. His family have not been traced.

Thami Stompi has been at the hospital for 31 years. He was admitted on November 25 1985. He is originally from Hillsonia farm near Port Elizabeth. He says his brother is Kempston Stompie. However, home affairs identified him as Vuyisile Mathews Mdukuzi from fingerprints.

Mlandeli Sali has been at the hospital for 15 years. He was admitted on February 2, 2001 from 631 Kulati Street Site and Service in Port Elizabeth. Both his parents are dead. His brother is Mzwendaba Sali.

Mzwandile Maneli has been at the facility for 13 years. He was admitted on August 5 2003 from 30 Mnqabane Street, Kwadwesi in Port Elizabeth. His mother is Violet Maneli and, according to the patient, both his parents are dead. His brother is Mthunzi Sitoto Maneli and sister is Lindiwe Maneli.

Anthoney Boyce has been at the hospital for 11 years. He was admitted on September 27 2005 from East London. He has given two home addresses – 34 St Marks Road and 1 Ash Road Wilsonia. However, social workers visiting the addresses did not find his family. His mother is Shiela Boyce, his father is Clearance Boyce, and his brother is Errol Boyce.

Nico Brentjies has been at the hospital for seven years. He was admitted on December 8, 2009 from Uitenhage. Investigations by social workers established that his family has relocated to Somerset East. Their address is not known.

Thulani Ngcobo has been at the hospital for three years. He was admitted on January 1, 2013. He was found wandering the streets of Port Elizabeth in December 2012. He is from KwaNdenyezi, Ezimbokodweni near Pinetown.

Akhona Bokwana has been at the facility for a year. He was admitted last year as a transfer patient from Elizabeth Donkin Hospital.

If anyone can identify any of the men in this article, please contact the hospital CEO Ntombizandile Ngcube on 083-303-3352 or 046-645-5010; or the social worker Nothemba Nkebe on 046-645-5066. — vuyiswav@dispatch.co.za