Family demands justice after second death at KZN rehab bootcamp
The family of 25-year-old Unathi Makhosonke Mkhasibe is demanding answers after he died at the unregistered Discipline Bootcamp SA, also known as Madlokovu Bootcamp, in Richmond. The family alleges he had bruises and appeared severely underweight when they identified his body. Police have arrested two suspects and said the deceased had bruises consistent with assault.
On July 25, 25-year-old Unathi Makhosonke Mkhasibe from eMpangeni died at Discipline Bootcamp SA in Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. The facility, also known as Madlokovu Bootcamp, is owned by Lucky Mngadi, who calls himself King Madlokovu. This is the second death at the bootcamp in 2023. In January, 23-year-old Mduduzi Luthuli from Danganya, uMgababa, died after being admitted to the facility for a month.
Luthuli allegedly attempted to escape and was subjected to punishment, including strenuous exercise and alleged assault. He collapsed on the second day and was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
The family of Unathi Mkhasibe has demanded answers regarding the circumstances surrounding their son's death and the facility's handling of the incident. They claim they were given conflicting accounts of their son's condition by the facility and were not informed that he had attempted to escape. The family spokesperson, Simiso Mkhize, said they had contacted the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development (DSD) MEC Mbali Shinga's office but did not receive the assistance they sought.
The family has also expressed concerns about the facility's legality and compliance with prescribed standards. They allege that their son, Unathi, was not the first person to die at the facility. In January, Luthuli also died after being admitted to the bootcamp. The family claims that Unathi was not addicted to substances that caused violent behavior or other negative habits, but they sought professional help after seeing the effects of his drug addiction.
The family's father, Nhlanhla Mkhasibe, said they paid R10,000 for their son to receive help at the facility. He described Unathi's physical condition upon admission as bulky, but by the time of his death, he had become underweight. The family noticed bruises, a swollen eye, and swelling to his skull. A postmortem report was inconclusive, and the family enlisted a private doctor to conduct further examination.
They have since questioned the facility's ability to provide appropriate care and treatment for patients undergoing rehabilitation, warning others against sending their children to the facility.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
