DA KZN: RK Khan nursing staff alleged to have turned away horrifically injured foreigner

16 April 2015

YESTERDAY’s oversight visit by the DA to the Chatsworth Transit Camp revealed that a Malawian man was allegedly denied medical care by RK Khan nursing staff in spite of his horrific injuries after locals forced a screwdriver into his eyes and cut off one of his ears.

The incident took place on 7 April.

The man, who is originally from the Bottlebrush informal settlement, managed to escape his attackers despite the severity of his injuries and was transported by friends to RK Khan Hospital for urgent medical treatment.

It is alleged that on arrival at around midnight the man was denied access to treatment by black nursing staff who said – “there isn’t enough medication in the hospital to be given to foreigners”.

The injured man was then taken to the Chatsworth Transit Camp, Westcliff where he housed in one of the tents for two days. It is further claimed that an ambulance was only called to take him to hospital when news spread that government ministers were due at the camp.

The current condition of this foreign national is not known.

The DA regards the denial of urgent medical intervention as totally unacceptable and unconstitutional. Section 27 of the Bill of Rights ensures the right to access healthcare and prohibits the denial of emergency medical care. 

I have spoken to senior management of RK Khan Hospital who appear unaware of the incident and expressed shocked that such action had taken place.

They have further stated that they have been at the forefront of treating injured foreign national in the Chatsworth area and are currently under extreme pressure with a theatre waiting list of approximately 43 patients.

I have submitted the details of this incident to them and they assure me that an urgent investigation will be instituted.

I have also sent a written complaint to the KZN Health ombudsman and requested an urgent investigation into these serious allegations and written to KZN Health MEC, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, asking for an assurance that a transparent investigation will be launched.

The DA condemns the turning away of any victim of deplorable xenophobic violence in the strongest possible terms. 

We expect the MEC to give his word that no foreign national will be denied treatment at any of KZN’s provincial hospitals.

Statement issued by Dr Rishigen Viranna, MPL, DA KZN Alternate Spokesperson on Health, April 16 2015

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