Sne Masuku

Sne Masuku

Mkhosi Gumede, 20, the mother of a baby whose finger was apparently "eaten by a cockroach" shortly after birth has approached the Legal Aid Board for help in suing the Health Department.

The bizarre incident allegedly occurred at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi, Durban.

Umlazi Legal Aid Board centre executive, Zanele Msweli, yesterday confirmed that Gumede had approached them and that her application for legal aid had been approved.

She said as soon as they had decided which route to take they would file the court papers.

"We are gathering all the facts and are waiting for Gumede to give us all the medical documents to build our case," said Msweli.

Gumede, who lives in W section in Umlazi, has been waiting for two months to hear from hospital officials what actually happened to her baby's finger.

Gumede said she had turned to the Legal Aid Board after realising that the hospital officials were not taking her seriously.

"The hospital officials were making fun of my misery and I want to teach them a lesson. I want to teach the staff at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital to be more careful," she said.

All she wants is for the hospital to compensate her for her anxiety and also for action to be taken against the hospital staff responsible for what had happened to her baby's finger.