Fulufhelo Mulauzi ( 28) from Phiphidi village outside Thohoyandou in Limpopo who had been battling mental illness for a while allegedly ended his life shortly after he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. He had a history of violence and on more than two occasions attempted to murder his family members. His family sought help for him at Hayani psychiatric hospital with a hope of managing the illness but little did they know they were sending him to his death. 

NOT CONVINCED 

Speaking to ZiMoja, Fufhelo's aunt Nelly Mulauzi said that they don't believe that Fulu, as they affectionately called him, killed himself. She claims that although the hospital claims that he was badly injured on the head and had no signs of injuries on his neck due to strangulation. "The hospital came to my house on the 24th January to report that he was missing, and they came back on the 28th to tell me that  they found him. I left with them and when we got there there were 8 officials who told me that they found him hanging with a bed sheet in a suspected suicide," She said they took her outside and they went through a gate where her nephew allegedly ended his life. "We went there and  they showed me a small room that looked like a toilet where they claimed he committed suicide. The place was too small for someone as big and tall as Fulu to commit suicide there. It didn't make sense at all and no one could give answers on how this happened, "said Nelly. 

HOSPITAL LYING? 

Nelly said the hospital gave her family, Fulu's father's side and his mother's family different versions of what happened to him. "They told his mother's family that he fell while trying to climb a wall and injured his head. I was shocked when his mother told me this because it was different from what I was told. We need help to bring the hospital to book. They need to account for their negligence and Fulu's death," she said. 

WENT MISSING 

Spokesperson for the department of health in Limpopo Neil Shikwambana said that while admitted at Hayani psychiatric hospital, the deceased went missing. He said he had been reported missing from the hospital since Tuesday, 24 January 2023, and his family was informed. "An intense search was conducted throughout the week by the hospital and also the SAPS K9 unit. Messages were circulated to the public in an attempt to find him," said Shikwambana. 

BAD SMELL

Shikwambana said on Saturday the 28th January, security personnel were met with a bad smell while patrolling the hospital. The smell came from one of the service duct passages. They broke down the door that was locked from inside, and that is when the deceased's body was discovered having used a bed sheet to allegedly hang himself." Shikwambana said. He said police and forensic pathology were called to the scene, and the family was also notified. " Psychologists have been dispatched to help the family deal with the loss of the loved one in such a shocking  manner. The department sent condolences to the family of the deceased," added Shikwambana.