A mother from Delft insists that her 21-year-old daughter may have been the victim of colleagues' envy at a popular retail store, and she is now fighting for her release from Stikland Psychiatric Hospital.
The mother, who wished to remain unnamed, told IOL Media that her daughter had no mental health issues before the sudden change in behavior earlier this month. She believes the incident might be related to her daughter meeting with her supervisor regarding alleged irregular activity at work.
The concerned mother reported that during a two-hour meeting with the manager, her daughter discussed improper actions she had started noticing at the workplace. The 21-year-old allegedly told her mother that she saw colleagues passing goods past the cash register without paying.
The mother emphasized that her daughter has always been an honest person because she was raised that way. Therefore, she acted honestly and informed the manager about the observed violations. However, the exact details of the discussion during this meeting remain unknown.
Furthermore, the mother stated that her daughter's boyfriend heard a colleague make a threatening remark when picking her up from work on Friday, October 9, 2026. He heard one of the colleagues whisper: 'You will fight for your life this weekend, you will see.'
The mother also claimed that her daughter complained that colleagues were touching her hair. 'We cannot prove it, but we know that something was given to her or they took a strand of hair for use in witchcraft. They either envied her or wanted to get rid of her because she was planning to expose them.'
The mother noted that her daughter's behavior changed abruptly, and she might be possessed by 'something demonic.' 'That Friday she talked non-stop about her job and their future together. She sang, made sounds, hit the cupboard. For me, the turning point was when her boyfriend and their three-year-old daughter were sleeping on the sofa. When I walked in, my daughter was just standing and watching them. When she saw me, she ran into the room and hid under the blanket. That's when I realized we were dealing with something demonic.'
The family sought help from preachers, with the mother claiming that during prayer sessions they heard the scream of a demon. The daughter was hospitalized at Eerste River on October 12 and then transferred to Stikland Hospital on October 20 for specialized psychiatric treatment.
The mother reported that her daughter's condition has improved since then, and she no longer experiences episodes. 'She tells me she is fine and wants to go home. I am fighting with both Eerste River and Stikland hospitals. They refuse to discharge her or inform us about the treatment she is receiving. My daughter is not crazy. She is possessed, not mad. She was a top student in school and is still studying at UWC. We want her discharged because a preacher needs to perform an exorcism.'
A Western Cape health spokesperson, Megan Davies, confirmed the hospitalization, stating that the patient was admitted after filing for involuntary admission under the Mental Health Act. The department clarified that decisions regarding continued stay and discharge are based on current clinical assessments. It also added that patients have the right to appeal involuntary admission, which is overseen by the Mental Health Review Board.