Noupoort under scrutiny

2003-11-24 08:25

Enrico Claassen

Noupoort - The future of the Noupoort Christian care centre may be in the balance depending on the findings of a special task team.

A team consisting of representatives of two governmental departments will visit the centre this week to investigate a spate of alleged assaults on young men, before deciding whether to issue the centre with a permanent licence.

Ashley Theron, chief director of social services, says officials of the provincial and national departments of social development, as well as the provincial department of health, will investigate alleged contraventions of human rights at the centre.

Officials of the department of social development visited the Christian Life Skill centre in town last week.

The latest visit to the care centre comes in the wake of attempts by André Kruger, 24, a drug addict, to commit suicide by slashing his wrists to escape from a "torture chamber".

Theron says the outcome of the investigation into complaints of alleged assaults will determine whether the centre will obtain a permanent licence. The centre has only been granted four temporary licences since a patient, Logan Klingenberg, died at the centre two years ago.

A commission of inquiry appointed by President Thabo Mbeki will soon investigate the care centre and similar centres countrywide.

- Die Burger