However, the centre wants R10 000 to admit him.
The mother, who wants to remain anonymous, said her son was admitted to the rehabilitation centre between 2010 and 2011 and relapsed two and a half years later.
She said when she recently approached House of Mercy to take her son in again they said they can only take him if she paid R10 000.
“I am in no financial position to pay this amount. What makes it even worse is that someone I know said she got a bed for her daughter at only R500,” she said.
“Now I have to look my son in the eyes every day and he is busy dying and it’s painful. I expect them to give my son a subsidised bed at the same rate they charged the person that I know,” she said.
According to Monica Mashiane, director of House of Mercy, the centre is a private clinic and has 15 subsidised beds, five for females and 10 for males.
“These beds are meant for the poorest and most vulnerable members of our community.
“The Brakpan mother brought her two sons and a daughter in-law to our rehabilitation centre years ago and they all benefited from the subsidised beds.
“Our policy is that a person can only benefit once from a subsidised bed as we have a long waiting list.
“This has been explained to the mother several times and she was also advised to try other rehabs that have subsidised beds. The R10 000 she was asked to pay towards her son’s treatment was discounted on humanitarian grounds as under normal circumstances she would have been required to pay the full amount of R14 400 for the full duration of the programme, which is six weeks.
“It is true that a patient was given a subsidised bed as it was her first time admitting someone to our centre and the mother volunteered to donate R500 if and when she can afford it.
“The same policy of an increased fee will apply to this family should the daughter relapse,” Mashiane explained.
