Citizens Commission On Human Rights Empowers Elderlies Against Human Rights Violations In Mental Health Sector

Oct 26, 2023

Summary

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Western Cape, a group of human rights activists in Cape Town, recently met with legislative officials in Mitchells Plain to address the protection of elderly citizens in South Africa from human rights violations in the mental and physical health sector. They discussed the challenges surrounding the implementation of the Older Persons Act 2006, such as the lack of norms and standards for frail care and insufficient education on the rights of older persons. In response, the Older Persons Amendment Bill [B11-2022] was introduced to ensure that older persons receive quality mental and physical health services and are afforded necessary human rights protection. The Parliament is inviting public input on the bill to involve the public in the law-making process.

The CCHR program, known as a mental health watchdog, was personally invited by Parliament to participate in addressing elderly abuse in South Africa. The leader of CCHR Western Cape, Luce-Lynn Fondling, expressed concern about elderly individuals being forcefully medicated with psychiatric and medical drugs against their will. Fondling discussed the deplorable living conditions in psychiatric clinics and wards where elderly patients are kept, referencing a recent article exposing the crisis of mental health in South Africa. CCHR, founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology, aims to investigate and expose psychiatric violations of human rights in the mental health sector.

Fondling highlighted the impact of CCHR in helping elderly citizens and raising awareness of human rights violations. The group is dedicated to working together with other organizations to protect the rights and well-being of elderly individuals in South Africa.

A vigorous group of human rights activists known as “Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Western Cape” had a meeting with legislative officials in Mitchells Plain, collaborating on the dire need to protect elderly citizens in South Africa against human rights violations.

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa - October 26, 2023 —

On 21 October 2023, a vigorous group of human rights activists situated in Cape Town known as “Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Western Cape” had a meeting with legislative officials in Mitchells Plain, collaborating on the dire need to protect elderly citizens in South Africa against human rights violations in the mental and physical health sector. Following a series of cooperative conferences steps are being taken so the rights of elderlies are respected and there can’t be any psychiatric abuses.

According to the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, the Older Persons Act 2006 (Act No 13 of 2006), has experienced a number of challenges relating to its implementation, including but not limited to, lack of norms and standards in relation to frail care and lack of education on the rights of older persons. The Older Persons Amendment Bill [B11-2022] was introduced with the aims of ensuring older persons are provided with quality mental/physical health services and are afforded the necessary protection of human rights by society.

Luckily, Parliament is inviting public input on the Older Persons Amendment Bill [B11-2022], as mandated by the Constitution to ensure the public is involved in all its processes, including law-making.

As the “Citizens Commission on Human Rights” programme, known as a “mental health watchdog”, is responsible for helping to enact legislative laws protecting individuals from abusive or coercive practices, upon personal invitation from Parliament themselves, the impassioned Citizens Commission on Human Rights Western Cape group immediately jumped at the opportunity to participate in taking a solidary stand against elderly abuse in South Africa.

“There is a problem. Elderlies are being forcefully medicated against their will with both psychiatric and medical drugs. This is just scandalous to me!" said a fiery Luce-Lynn Fondling, leader of Citizens Commission on Human Rights Western Cape. “While working with the Citizens Commission on Human Rights programme in my community, elderly citizens have shared their personal devastating experiences with this issue, upon my interviews with them”, Fondling added.

The physical conditions of the psychiatric clinics and wards where the elderlies were kept are still questionable. It is too often found that their living conditions are even deplorable. Per an article issued as recently as 17 October 2023 by Daily Maverick titled ‘They are kept like animals’: Psychiatric patients suffer in dismal conditions at Charlotte Maxeke hospital” written by Lerato Mutsila, the state of mental health in South Africa is a crisis. Fondling wonders if the same is ongoing in Mitchells Plain.

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) was founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology, founded by L. Ron Hubbard and internationally acclaimed author, Dr. Thomas Szasz, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the State University of New York, Syracuse. CCHR is a non-profit, public benefit organization dedicated to investigating and exposing psychiatric violations of human rights in the mental health sector. In 1969 when CCHR was founded, the victims of psychiatry were a forgotten minority group, warehoused under terrifying conditions in institutions around the world.

“I have managed to help dozens of elderlies with the help of CCHR, who have adopted the programme to help raise awareness of these human rights violations, " said Fondling.

“We are now all working together to ensure the rights of elderlies are maintained forevermore, to ascertain their mental and physical well-being”. Concluded Fondling.

Contact Info:
Name: SANDILE HLAYISI
Email: Send Email
Organization: CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY SOUTH AFRICA
Address: Gauteng, South Africa
Phone: +27 061 907 9325
Website: https://www.castlekyalami.org.za/

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Release ID: 89111388

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