The department of social development and the police are to separately investigate the second death of a teenager at the controversial Noupoort Christian Care Centre at Noupoort in the Northern Cape.
Police have opened an inquest docket into the death of Theo Hurley, 15, who died in a Middelburg Hospital on Sunday after being admitted there on June 21 when he fell ill at the alcohol and drug rehabilitation centre.
Police spokesperson Inspector Stefanie Smith said a postmortem would be held on Thursday to determine the cause of Hurley's death.
Contacted for comment, the ministry of social development expressed its shock and concern about the teenager's death.
Mbulelo Musi, a spokesperson for Minister Zola Skweyiya, said the department would immediately dispatch chief director of social welfare services Ashley Theron to the centre to investigate the circumstances of the death.
The investigation would determine what action would be taken and would also impact on the future of the centre.
"The minister also wishes to express his condolences to Theo Hurley's family and friends," Musi said.
The centre was in the news last month after Logan Klingenberg, 16, was found hanging from chains used to tie him to a security gate.
The department then wanted to shut the centre temporarily but eventually settled for the permanent closing of the Midlandia detention barracks at the centre. This was where Klingenberg's body was found.
Two employees were arrested in connection with the death and were released on R2 500 bail each. They are expected to next appear in court on July 17.
Hospital doctor Mpumelelo Sishuba said Hurley was in a dazed, confused and agitated state when he was admitted. He was apparently diabetic.
A woman, who answered the centre's telephone and who only identified herself as Debbie, said the centre's head, Pastor Sophos Nissiotis had nothing to do with Hurley's death.
She said he died at hospital, not at the centre.
The woman referred all calls to the centre's doctor, but the doctor was not immediately available. - Sapa