Family demands answers amid conflicting reports of mentally ill patient’s death

The family of a mentally ill man who died after being attacked by a fellow patient in a hospital ward, is fuming because they have still not been told how he died.

According to the police, Klaas Ledwaba died after another patient allegedly bit off his genitals in a hospital in Dennilton, Limpopo.

The attacker was later wounded in a hail of bullets from security personnel.

It later transpired that Ledwaba had been hit in the head by a bullet.

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The family does not know whether this caused his death.

The alleged killer was shot and wounded in both legs and a security guard was also hit by a bullet.

Ledwaba family spokesperson Seun Mogotji said when they saw his body after the incident, he had bite marks, but his genitals were still intact.

No funeral

Mogotji said although the provincial government had said it would pay for Ledwaba’s funeral, “we will not conduct the funeral unless MEC Dieketseng Masese Mashego or Police Minister Senzo Mchunu tells us who killed our brother”.

ALSO READ: Hospital patient’s family want answers after he was shot and had ‘genitals bitten off’

He said traditional burial rituals could not be conducted until the family knew the cause of death.

“The cause usually determines what ritual should be performed. That is why it is important for the department to start talking so that we can lay the remains of our brother to rest,” he said.

‘Contradicting statements’

“We have contradicting statements from the police and the department. One says his genitals were bit off. But when we went to the mortuary, his genitals were still there.”

Departmental spokesperson Neil Shikwambane said yesterday it could not comment while investigations were underway.

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