Town encounters people with mental illnesses

A case of a woman stalked by a man for the past eight months seems to be just the tip of the iceberg.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said the stalking started about eight months ago when a young man waited outside her workplace everyday.

“He first showed up at my office three years ago and pretended he was a client. After a while he ran out, and returned to my offices at the start of this year.

“He just comes and stands outside the office and waits for me. He knows my car and he leaves rubbish all over it.

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“He tells me we are married and he really believes it. I feel sorry for him, because I can tell he believes what he is saying but it is getting to the point that I am scared for my life.

“I now have to call the office every morning to make sure he is not waiting for me. He recently grabbed me while I was walking to my car. I was so frightened I ended up pepper-spraying him; now I am afraid he will hurt me if he sees me again.”

The woman said she had reported this to the police numerous times, and that a few days after they had taken him to Themba Hospital for treatment, the man was back; he reportedly broke a hospital window and escaped the property to return to White River.

Ocean Basket’s co-owner, André Spyridis, said the man has also scared many of his customers as well as residents walking along the streets.

“It has been an horrific experience for everyone. This man collects refuse from all over town and creates all sorts of decorations that he leaves on people’s cars and at the roadside.

“He also comes up to people to start conversations, and while I do not think he is threatening, it can be quite scary.”

Spyridis added that the man has also stopped people riding through town on motorcycles and got onto the back.

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“He thinks it is a joke, but it is a very serious issue, because he needs help.”

A minister of the NG Kerk Witrivier, Nati Stander, said the man walked into the church on Sunday and tried to start the service that morning.

“We managed to guide him away from the pulpit to a place where I could talk to him in private. He is very friendly and doesn’t seem like he wants to harm anyone, but he does need help. I noticed he was soaked in urine. I feel he might be a danger to himself.”

A community member who lives near the White River mosque, who asked not to be named, said there had been incidents with a woman.

“She forced down a car window and filled it up with rubbish. She walks around all day just blowing a whistle, sometimes all night.

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“I am just astonished at the absolute lack of compassion for the people experiencing mental illness in this town. We have called the police, we have called the municipality, and everyone passes the buck. It is so unethical. Where is the compassion for the safety of the invalid as well as the safety of the townspeople?” he said.

White River’s DA councillor, Rowan Torr, said the issue had been brought up with several different departments, but no one could really say who is responsible for ensuring these people were institutionalised.

The provincial police spokesperson, Brig Leonard Hlathi, said the police were doing everything they could to help with the situation, but that the families of these people with these mental illnesses also needed to play a role.

“It is not only an issue in White River. There are many people who have mental illnesses walking up and down the roads in and around Mpumalanga. You can mostly spot them along the N4.

“I feel it is a societal problem. Families abandon or disown people with severe mental illnesses and do not really care what happens to them.”

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He said it was imperative for the police and the Department of Health to work together with the families of these people. Hlathi said he applauded the residents who reported these matters to the police.

“Many people do not report these cases and brush them off, but these people are human beings and need to be helped.”

The municipality’s spokesperson, Joseph Ngala, said the matter was beyond their function.

“The police have a procedure to deal with similar scenarios. Our role is to assist with coordination with the relevant social workers in the area. I have referred the matter to the Department of Social Development and await feedback.”

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