EFF statement on the report from the Health Ombudsman on the death of Shonisani Lethole at Thembisa hospital
28 January 2021
The EFF welcomes the report from the Ombudsman by Professor MalegapuruMakgoba, relating to the death of ShonisaniLethole who passed away in June 2020 at the Thembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital. The investigation was probed by a tweet from the late Shonisani on the 25th June 2020, wherein he claimed that he had been ill-treated and deprived of food for 48 hours.
The report clarified issues a number of issues, including the number of hours which the patient spent without food from the time he was admitted at hospital — which is 100 hours and 54 minutes. It is inhumane to let a patient stay without food for such long period of time, also taking into consideration his medical condition. It is a further indication of the unacceptable negligence of some hospital staff. The Ombudsman has clearly supported the claim that the doctors and nurses treat patients similar to animals at the zoo. Comparable with the case of Esidimeni, it is disheartening that investigations are only done after the patients have passed on.
We also welcome the statement that the doctors and nurses did not demonstrate the needed professional ethics, including the accounting officer who side-lined the proper hospital processes and gave the Ombudsman the wrong information. The report further reveals other worrisome tendencies done in the hospital including amongst others; medical care, tests conducted, and clinical records of the hospital.
As such, the EFF demands that the National Department of Health and Gauteng Department of Health acts swiftly and speedily to carry out an independent process of the investigation on the 19 staff members, including the accounting officer, so that a proper disciplinary process can take place whilst they are put on precautionary suspension.
The EFF will also be expecting a full report from both National and Provincial Health Departments.
Issued by Vuyani Pambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 28 January 2021
