The family of a man who was shot during a house robbery has been left devastated after he was found dead following another robbery at a Gauteng hospital where he was admitted.
Lawrence Matlamela, 49, was admitted at the Tembisa Hospital two weeks ago with bullet wounds in his back and stomach after he was shot during a house robbery at his Ivory Park's Riverside home.
A week later, a ward where Matlamela was being treated was hit by a robbery by assailants wielding a panga who stole cellphones from nurses on duty. During the chaos, it is alleged that Matlamela left the ward terrified and disappeared into a dark area behind the facility.
He could not be located and was found dead three days between a parameter wall and palisade fence.
According to the police two robbers ambushed nurses in three wards on Tuesday at 2am last week, robbing them of cellphones. The police said it was unclear if Matlamela had been trying to escape from the second robbery.
Sowetan, however, understands that the robbers broke into the hospital premises through the back after damaging the concrete palisade fencing and raided three wards, walking away with cellphones from six nurses.
According to insiders at the hospital, nurses saw Matlamela running away from the ward into the dark part of the premises following the robbery and alerted security. Insiders said search began with guards using torches but he could not be located.
Police spokesperson Constable Patricia Mgijima said the police have opened an inquest case in the matter and investigations are ongoing.
Matlamela's sister, Phillistus Kodibona blamed the hospital for failing to ensure the safety of her brother and nurses taking care of him.
“As a family, we want to know what exactly happened to our brother because we still have nightmares about this,” Kodibona said.
Kodibona said she got worried when she got a call from the hospital a week after her brother was admitted, asking about his whereabouts.
“My brother couldn't walk and couldn't even get out of bed because he had drips and pipes attached to his body,” she said.
Her brother had been admitted at the hospital after armed robbers, who got into his house, shot him at the back and took cellphones and money before fleeing.
She said the family did not believe that Matlamela died while trying to escape the robbery, which took place at the hospital.
“When I saw his body at the hospital mortuary on Wednesday, it looks as if he fell as his left side of the body seems swollen,” Kodibona said.
She said they were hoping that postmortem could bring about answers as to what led to her brother dying.
Gauteng department of health spokesperson Kwara Kekana said the department is aware of the matter and that it had been reported to the police.
“The hospital management is also in the process of finalising its own report through an internal process. Both affected staff and patients are receiving counselling,” Kekana said.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.