Restrictions of freedom Under section 7 of the Constitution, it
is stated that there shall be no interference in personal
integrity or deprivation liberty without legitimate grounds
prescribed by an Act of Parliament. The lawfulness of any other
form of deprivation of liberty may be submitted to judicial
review. The Mental Health Act (No. 1116) of 1990 lays down
guidelines for mental health work and the organisation of mental
health services. It is also an Act of Parliament, which provides
a framework for legitimising the deprivation of liberty in that
it deals with involuntary treatment in a psychiatric hospital.
The conditions for involuntary internment For a person to be
committed for treatment against his/her will the following three
criteria must be met: - The person has been diagnosed as
mentally ill; - S/he must be in need of treatment for mental
illness which, if not treated, would become considerably worse
or would severely endanger his/her health or safety or that of
other people; and - All other me