21 deaths in 24 months: Gauteng care facility under scrutiny amid staff and patient abuse allegations

A Gauteng-based home for mentally-challenged children and adults has admitted that it has recorded 21 deaths in 24 months yet dismisses this as normal and expected due to the operating environment.

This comes as the facility is being accused of a spate of human rights violations against its vulnerable patients and some of its current and former employees.

Some of the recently dismissed former employees say they are worried that, yet another Life Esidimeni tragedy is on the cards if nothing is done to stop the rot and multiple human rights transgressions at the Little Eden Society, a home for people with intellectual disability.

Little Eden Society, an assisted-living facility for people with intellectual disabilities in Edenvale and Bapsfontein, in Ekurhuleni which has been in operation for more than 50 years, is accused of multiple failures, including failure and lack of empathy extended to more than 300 of its mentally challenged full time patients.

These allegations are in stark contrast of its mission statement, premised on “not just about providing care, but ensuring dignity, respect, inclusion, and a life filled with love and purpose for those we serve" as these former employees paint a gloomy picture of sexual, physical and racial abuse within the institution, which has become endemic following the recent appointment of a new CEO last November. 

This CEO is accused of creating a toxic culture which has been responsible for the purging of more than five black staffers since she took over.

“I worked there for eight years and was forced to resign recently due to the toxic environment that has been created by the new CEO, who came in November last year and in my opinion has been given a mandate to get rid of black employees... She is a bully and she is ruthless. I have never met anyone like her. Between that time and now, more than five people have resigned. This is done to ensure white people who are not qualified (are appointed) in our positions,” one former employee stated.

They also accuse the institution of feeding its residents expired food, resulting in a recent diarrhoea outbreak.

Former employees revealed that food handling at the facility is questionable as sometimes the facility offers its patients a substandard menu that does little to offer nutritional value to its patients.

“Essentially, what is happening is that Little Eden has compromised its ability to care for its patients. They are hiring people who are not interested in giving patients the quality care they need. This has resulted in multiple incidents of abuse. There was a case of sexual abuse and multiple diarrhoea outbreaks due to compromised care. In one incident, which has been swept under carpet is that of a sexual abuse of a patient by a white staffer, this was done to ensure that funders do not find out,” another former employee said.

In their response through their lawyers, Webber Wentzel Attorneys, Little Eden denied purging of black employees.

"Only two employees have resigned since December 2024.The employees that have resigned are a nursing manager, who resigned on 15 January 2025 whilst in the process of a disciplinary hearing against her. It was decided to accept such resignation and not continue with the disciplinary process. The Business Development Manager resigned on 27 January 2025,” the lawyers said. 

On the allegations of its CEO creating a toxic culture and purging of black workers, the lawyers said: "Our client's CEO strongly denies this serious and inflammatory allegation. It is not based on any factual foundation."

The centre further denied that the number of deaths of its patients in the past 24 months has anything to do with the quality of their care even though it admits to having recorded more than 20 deaths.

“The centre has recorded 21 resident deaths in the past 24 months. Given the nature of the patients / residents at the Centre, and the residents' corresponding life expectancies, the number of deaths is normal for the period in question,” it said.

Gauteng Health spokesperson, Motaletale Modiba revealed that the department was made aware of the outbreak as well as a sexual abuse incident which were attended to through internal processes. 

“The GDoH’s multidisciplinary team of experts (occupational therapy, social worker, dietician, environment mental practitioner, and medical officer) that supports the NGO and audits the NGO are aware of the diarrhoea outbreak and sexual abuse allegations. Appropriate action was taken. In the engagements with the NGO low staff morale was noted due to staff feeling mistreated by management. However, none had yet laid a formal complaint as advised to enable the matter to be further escalated,” he said.

The department added that the diarrhoea outbreak was not due to food poisoning, but rather water contamination which was revealed after an Environmental Health Practitioner ran tests that gave this conclusion.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za