Pretoria - While millions spend the festive holidays with their families, Daniel Malinga will be spending his 21st Christmas at the Jubilee Hospital in Hammanskraal.
Malinga has been in the hospital since 1995 when he was brought in by his then girlfriend.
He had been assaulted somewhere in Temba, and she never returned for him.
“Hospital records with details provided by the girlfriend when he was first admitted were lost, and we have no way of finding out more about him,” hospital social worker Mosidi Mogale said.
Malinga has not spoken or walked owing to the injuries he was admitted with and uses a wheelchair to get around the hospital.
Staff said they had been unable to trace his girlfriend, and efforts to match his fingerprints to trace his kin through Home Affairs had been unsuccessful.
“We suspect that he could either be Mozambican or Zimbabwean, but we can’t confirm anything," staff said.
Social workers were trying to get him naturalised so that he could have a place to call home.
The hospital is also home to four other unidentified residents, who were brought in by the police and emergency services.
Mental illness has been blamed for these long-staying patients, and on Tuesday the hospital sent out an appeal for people to go and look for their missing relatives.
“Mental illness is a serious issue and nothing to be afraid of,” hospital social worker supervisor Violet Letlape said.
There was still a lot of stigma and myths surrounding it, yet all people with mental illnesses required was someone to help them adhere to treatment, she said.
“I live by the short tree” was all a female patient had told hospital staff of her home. And that was all she had said since she was admitted on October 28, social workers said.
Letlape said that since the patient was found by emergency services and brought to the hospital, they had been unable to establish her name and surname or any other identifying details.
“We’ve tried to take her in for fingerprinting, but she becomes disruptive and messes up equipment at the Department of Home Affairs,” she said.
All they got besides the “short tree” was that she could have lived in Soshanguve, but there was no mention of where exactly.
Mpumelelo Jama was found wandering in the streets of Hammanskraal naked and brought in by the police on November 4.
Letlape said all Jama ever asked for was to be discharged so he could go home, but he had given no address or relatives to contact.
“During our investigations in the community we were told he had been living near the railway line for a long time, and when we ask him where home is he always points in that direction,” she said.
“In discussions with him, we have gathered that he hails from Mthatha, his sister’s name is Lonah Jama and he says they live around Sinenjongo Primary School.” But, she said, trusting what they said was difficult because they were not well.
Thabo Selepe was found roaming around a day-care centre in Kekana Gardens, Hammanskraal.
“The only thing he has been able to give us are the names of his mother and father, Makie and Lekaba Selepe, and he says his brother is Lucky Selepe.” He said he came from Vosloorus, Letlape said.
Johannes Barron has also been in the hospital since November 24, and all he recalls is that he came from Ennerdale.
“When we ask for more details he gives us two street addresses so we are still waiting for a response from the police,” said Letlape.
More effort was required of family in keeping mental patients on their medication. “Everyone gets tired of taking medicine, and these patients are no different from someone who decides to ditch their flu antibiotics.”
The hospital was not a home, she said. “We can’t replace family, so our biggest plea is for people to try here when they search for family members,” said Mogale.