A FEW weeks after being paid R580000 following a botched operation left her unable to speak, a Mpumalanga woman is again taking the Health Department to court.

This time Aileen Peggy Meiring, pictured, of eMalahleni (Witbank) claims that the department has failed to honour the court order that ruled that, because the department failed to pay her on time, a fine of R52000 must also be paid to her.

"My lawyers wrote to the department's legal representatives notifying them that should the money not be in my account within seven days, we would sue again," Meiring said.

Provincial health department spokesperson Mpho Gabashane could not explain the delay in paying out Meiring.

In 2007 Mario Calzadilla, a surgeon at the Witbank Hospital, accidentally cut Meiring's vocal cords while trying to remove her thyroid glands.

She sued the department for malpractice.

Last November the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ordered the department of health to pay Meiring R580000 and interest of 15,5percent, from October 22 2008.