LISTEN | Deceased Cartrack worker’s last moments

When call centre agent Gcina Dhladhla collapsed at work, her manager at Cartrack allegedly raised concerns about who would pay for her treatment if she were to be taken to a private hospital just across the road.

This is according to Dhladhla’s aunt, Nomusa Dhladhla, who also said an ambulance was not immediately called for her dying niece.

Nomusa, who was in Soweto at the time, said she called a private ambulance to go to the offices in Rosebank, Johannesburg, where the company’s first aiders were busy struggling to revive her niece.

However, Dhladhla did not make it. She died at work.

“I had to call an ambulance from a private hospital because the manager [at Cartrack] went to Rosebank Clinic to inquire about the costs instead of focusing on saving my niece’s life. They were worried about who was going to pay,” said Nomusa.

“They [managers at Cartrack] told me they were waiting for an ambulance, but they did not have a reference number. They kept telling me that her pulse was low, but nothing was done to rush her to hospital and save her life.”

Nomusa said her niece had submitted two sick notes in the two weeks leading up to her death, citing ill health and extreme fatigue. However, she said she was instructed to continue reporting for duty, adding that Dhladhla had been given warnings after submitting the sick notes.

“Nothing was done to rush her to hospital and save her life.” — Nomusa Dhladhla, Gcina’s aunt

According to Lauren Human, director of corporate affairs at Cartrack, Dhladhla received immediate assistance from highly trained on-site first responders when the seriousness of her condition became apparent.

“Our on-site first responders were equipped with an automatic external defibrillator, and emergency medical services were immediately called to the scene,” she said.

Family members say Dhladhla had been emotionally and physically drained for months and frequently complained about her working conditions.

According to the family, Dhladhla had repeatedly informed her employer that she was not well but was expected to continue reporting for duty.

In one of her final messages to her aunt, Dhladhla wrote: “Personally am feeling drained about Cartrack. Just that I won’t resign because I don’t have any back-up plan. Nangapha am applying akuveli lutho (I also apply, but nothing comes up).”

A colleague, who asked to remain anonymous, said Dhladhla was visibly distressed the day before her death.

“On Friday, she was on her knees crying, saying, ‘I’m sick, guys, and I’m still scheduled to work on Saturday despite telling them that I’m not doing well,’” the colleague said.

“What makes me sad the most is that on Wednesday, around 6.30pm, our team leader called her into the office. I didn’t hear what they were discussing, but as they were talking, I saw her removing her glasses and crying.”

Her colleague believes more could have been done to assist Dhladhla.

“They [the company] contributed a lot to Gcina’s death. I know we cannot prevent death, but she didn’t deserve to die in a toilet like that. Maybe her family could have rushed her to hospital, and that could have saved her life. Or at least she could have died in the presence of her loved ones instead of alone in a toilet cubicle. Her death was not dignified.”

The colleague claimed Dhladhla continued to suffer from severe headaches and exhaustion, but felt pressured to return to work.

“She was told that she was acting and that she must stop acting and come to work.”

Human said Dhladla had never been denied sick leave.

“During the week, Gcina raised sensitive, private and personal challenges affecting her outside of the workplace; those matters were treated with sensitivity and confidentiality by her manager,” she said.

However, the colleague alleged that workplace pressures contributed to Dhladhla’s deteriorating condition.

“She had an opportunity to be taken to hospital had she collapsed at home. Instead, she died alone in a toilet cubicle after she was refused an opportunity to go and rest,” she said.

Sowetan