Claims of assault by hospital and visitor

A woman who said she was assaulted by three security guards at Leratong Hospital, now wants to take further steps against the security company and the hospital.

Lee* visited her grandmother at the hospital earlier in April, where she said she was refused to assist her grandmother.

“I wanted to explain to her how a please call me works so that she could contact me if need be,” Lee told the News.

“The day before, a nurse gave me permission to see my gran, even though it was not visiting hours,” she said.

When she arrived on the Thursday morning, however, security officers allegedly asked her to leave.

Lee said she told the guards that she needed to get her bag that was in her grandmother’s room.

“Both guards were understanding and waited with me for my grandmother to get dressed before I went inside. I also helped to keep the faulty door closed from the outside,” Lee said.

She said a third security officer approached her and grabbed her arm.

“He kicked me on my leg while I tried to get away,” she said.

Lee remembered the more she said her bag was in the room, “the more they dragged me away”.

After a nurse and doctor intervened, Lee eventually tried to leave the hospital but was stopped at the gate and “forced to stay”. She phoned the police but allegedly sat in the car for three hours before they arrived.

Fikile Oyekanmi, head of communication at Leratong Hospital confirmed that police were called and that Lee was not allowed to leave the hospital premises. He explained that Lee requested to see a doctor in the Casualty Department, but instead went to one of the wards.

Oyekanmi told the News that any visit outside of visiting hours has to be pre-arranged and permitted.

“Since she did not have permission to visit at that time, she was denied access to her relative. She did not cooperate with the request for her not to go inside the ward. Instead, she shouted at the nursing staff who then called security for assistance. She still did not cooperate when security explained why she was not allowed in the ward. She assaulted three staff members, two security personnel and one nurse,” Oyekanmi said.

Both parties eventually were taken to the Kagiso Police Station where the charges were dropped.

“They made me sign a note saying I would not press charges against the men. At that stage I would have done anything to get out and go to my kid. But I am going to take it up with the security company and the hospital,” she said.

When the News approached DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, Jack Bloom for his input, he said security officers need to be courteous at all times.

“The department should ensure that there is proper training in this regard so that we don’t have future incidents like this,” he said.

*Real name withheld.

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