The Gauteng Department of Health on Thursday said it “will fully co-operate with authorities to ensure” that the alleged rape of a 39-year-old patient at the South Rand Hospital “is dealt with expeditiously”. This was in reaction to reports that the epileptic patient had been attacked on Wednesday at the “accident and emergency unit while…waiting to be transferred to a ward”.A statement from the department said: “A patient who witnessed the incident alerted employees‚ who swiftly intervened. The police were called in and attended the complaint accordingly.“Further investigations continue.”The Democratic Alliance’s provincial health spokesperson‚ Jack Bloom‚ said he was “horrified” by the incident‚ and said “the patient was allegedly raped by a 59-year-old psychiatric patient (who) had been discharged earlier in the afternoon and was waiting for his family to collect him from the hospital”.“There has been a dramatic increase of psychiatric patients at the hospital due to the temporary closure of the casualty unit at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital which is undergoing renovations‚” said Bloom.“I warned about the problems this caused when I visited the hospital in July last year.“Patients with schizophrenia‚ bipolar disorder‚ suicidal tendencies and drug addictions are admitted for 72 hours for observation and treatment. These psychiatric patients should be kept separate from ordinary patients in a dedicated ward with tighter security.“We need a full investigation of this incident and better security to minimise the risk from psychiatric patients who can be unpredictable and violent.”Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu said: “The department regrets the incident…We will be offering counselling to all the affected parties.”..