Queueing to die
VICTIMS of a Khayelitsha, Cape Town, taxi crash that also claimed two lives, had to wait almost 24 hours for medical attention at a local clinic this week.
The 15 victims were in two taxis that collided in Site B, Khayelitsha, on Monday night at about 9pm.
Sowetan was called to the clinic 19 hours after the crash and found that only four of the victims had been seen by medical staff.
Some of the victims told Sowetan that the Site B Community Health Centre's trauma unit only finished treating them at 6pm the next day.
"We have been here since 9pm yesterday. We fear that we might not get help at all. There are only two doctors to look after us," said victim Neliswa Yantolo.
Nolele Njemla said her domestic worker, Nothobile Melani, 49, could not talk because of the pain.
"She phoned me at 9pm on Monday to inform me that she was involved in an accident. I was shocked to hear from her the next morning that she still had not seen a doctor. I could detect from her voice that she was in pain," Njemla said.
Members of the South African National Civic Organisation and African Independent Churches were at the clinic in a bid to get medical staff to attend to the victims.
Bishop Reuben Nyobole of the African Independent Churches was "outraged by what I saw".
"People die while waiting to be attended to at that clinic," he said. " I saw 11 people sitting there in pain."
Sanco's Thanduxolo Sithekela said: "There was a shortage of emergency medical staff when we arrived at the clinic."
Western Cape department of health spokesperson Faiza Steyn had not responded to our enquiries at the time of going to print.
Qualin
BAZAAAAAAARRRRRRR MAN, AY WHY AM I EVEN SHOCKED, THIS IS S.A- THE G DEPARTMENTS ARE JUST LIKE THIS.Report Abuse
sunny
I can not even begin to imagine hoe those people feel because I live in khayelistha but I will never ever go to that hospital or any other in the township because you never find any doctor to assist you. I was amazed that there were even two doctors because usually tehres any. its just sad to see these things happening because the nurses nowadays dont give a damn about the patients to then your just a piece of shi******.Report Abuse