Serenity Haven: Allegations of abuse and labour disputes arise

Allegations of abuse and neglect of patients and staff at Serenity Haven Frail Care Centre have been mounting since it emerged last year that the centre had allegedly suffered a financial loss of about R2.1m over four years at the hands of a former staff member.

The Roodepoort Record has, since late last year, received numerous complaints from current and former staff members, families of former patients, and former volunteers, about conditions at the centre, which included allegations of neglect and abuse, sometimes violent, of staff and patients by the owner, George Mouton.

Also read: Serenity Haven: Criminal charges to follow

Allegations included that patients were fed rotten and expired food, while Mouton himself lived like a king on food donated to the haven, and that patients were often neglected, developing bed sores and other ailments due to insufficient care.

Rupert September, owner of Maestro Assist, who was roped in to assist the Haven get back on track after the alleged theft came to light, says it was not long before they realised that the allegations against Mouton were more than just rumours spread by disgruntled former employees.

“We tried everything in our power to assist George in his quest to rectify things at the Haven,” he says. “He was very resistant to some of the changes we tried to implement, and initially we thought it was just because he is an older man, set in his ways.

“It soon became clear he was trying to hide the real extent of what was going on, and we had to make a decision that we could not in good conscience remain part of the Haven, so we withdrew.”

According to September, shortly after their withdrawal, he was approached by several staff members, asking for help.

Also read: Frail care centre closed amid abuse allegations

“They complained of impossible working conditions and frequent outbursts by Mouton, which sometimes became violent.

“We assisted them by taking them to the Labour Department in Roodepoort, where it was discovered that not one of them was registered. It was also revealed that they were being paid substantially less than the legal minimum salary.”

According to September, Mouton let all his staff go in April after it emerged that they had approached the Labour Department.

In an interview with the Record, Mouton insisted this was untrue, and that he let the staff go because he could no longer afford to pay them due to the fact that R2.1m had been siphoned off from his accounts.

Also read: Frail care centre loses millions in alleged theft

He alleged that he was making use of volunteers and students to care for his patients. Mouton has, over numerous interviews with the Record, maintained his innocence, citing disgruntled employees spreading falsehoods about him as the origin of complaints.

He maintains that he has never become violent with patients or staff, and insists that he ate the same food as his patients every day.