Business as usual at Noupoort
2005-02-01 08:49
Bbloemfontein - The controversial drug rehabilitation facility, Noupoort Christian Care Centre, is open and taking in new patients for 2005, director pastor Sophos Nissiotis said on Monday.
The centre was ordered to close its doors in 2004 after an investigation into alleged human rights violations by the department of social development.
However, the centre has since started legal action in the Pretoria High Court to get the minister of social development and the department to review their decision.
On Monday no court date was available yet.
"This is the third time we taking the matter to court," centre spokesperson Luckie Carelsen said.
"They (the department) lost the first two cases with costs and we think they are wasting taxpayers' money again."
Carelsen said a whole "vendetta" against the centre was personal and a waste because the centre was successful and doing well.
Nomathemba Kela, the department of social development's project manager overseeing the closure of the centre, said on Monday the centre had until March 31 this year to close its doors.
The centre has since 2001 often received bad publicity related to allegations of staff excesses against patients.
In September 2002, the state, during an inquest hearing, called for two "instructors" and a former senior staff member to be charged with culpable homicide following the death of 16-year-old Logan Klingenberg.
He was found chained to a cell door at "detention barracks" in May 2001.
Carelsen said on Monday, however, that the judicial inquest found that nobody was responsible for the boy's death.
In another incident in 2002, a former "mentor", Richard Erridge, 52, was found guilty on two charges of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The Noupoort magistrate's court found that Erridge had left two inmates chained to a vehicle overnight, doused them with icy water and that they received electric shocks.
"The question now, however, is why do the government persist in closing a successful centre like Noupoort," Carelsen said.
He said the facility was the only drug rehabilitation centre with school facilities and that the school had an 80% matric pass rate in 2004.
"Those children (21) passed well enough for admission to universities."
The centre received 23 new matric applications for 2005.
Nissiotis said on Monday the centre's success rate at putting people back in their community was 76%.
The department in October 2004 announced that the centre had been ordered to close after failing to provide convincing reasons why it should not be shut down.
Carelsen said on Monday the centre had about 100 patients, with more coming in on a weekly basis.
He said the centre also laid a charge with the commission for the promotion and protection of cultural, religious and linguistic communities.
"We believe the vendetta by the minister and the department is an attack on our Christian beliefs," Carelsen said.
- SAPA