No money for legal action after leg amputation

Tsakane – Gogo Sibongile Mbatha’s (67) life will never be the same after her leg was amputated. And she can’t afford to get justice.

It was a Thursday morning in March 2017 when Sibongile was on her way to a women’s prayer meeting at her church.

“I took the route I always take.

“Everything seemed normal to me.”

She says when she reached a certain shop, everything just went blank.

A wall had fallen and Sibongile was trapped under it.

One of her sons, Mphiwa Mbatha, was called to the scene.

“It was terrible to see her laying there.

“There were bricks all over, even on top of her body.”

Mphiwa says he noticed that there was no barrier tape.

“I could not understand how there could be any construction on the site, but no tape to signify danger.”

Sibongile was then admitted to Pholosong Hospital.

Upon inspection, they realised that her left leg was badly damaged.

“Her foot was barely attached to her leg,” explains Mphiwa.

Sibongile was then taken to the theatre in attempts to save her leg.

Mphiwa says he then went back to the scene where he got no helpful answers.

“I decided to go to the police station and lay a complaint.

“But I was told that it is a civil, not a criminal matter.”

Sibongile was in the hospital for about two months.

“Eventually they saw that my leg was not healing and they had to amputate it.

“I agreed because I wanted to live,” she explains.

In August her left leg was amputated above her knee.

“My life will never be the same now that I cannot move around independently.

“I use to do odd jobs to provide for my family and now I need help with everything.”

Mphiwa, who is also unemployed, says all their efforts to secure legal representation for a civil case have been unfruitful because they don’t have money.

“It seems that we won’t get anywhere until we have money.

“And I really want justice for my mother.”

The family is appealing to anyone who can assist them in this legal matter to please contact Jantjies Nkosi on 078 537 3334.