Elderly man recovering at home after alleged assault at Tshwane hospital

The attack happened after the elderly man confronted nurses after overhearing them allegedly making fun of his genitals. WARNING: Graphic images.

Photo of Johnny Coetzee’s injuries he allegedly obtained when he was admitted to the Tshwane District hospital last week. Photo: Supplied

An 87-year-old man’s family has taken to social media after he was allegedly injured and bruised by staff at the Tshwane District hospital, reports Pretoria Moot Rekord.

“He is doing okay. He is in pain, and a bit confused and tired after the whole ordeal,” said Johnny Coetzee’s grandson, Gerhard Höll.

“This is the second attack on my grandfather at the same hospital.”

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Coetzee was admitted to the Tshwane district hospital for a pneumonia infection on Thursday.

“Although he has been bedridden for two and a half years, his mind is still very sharp. Because he is bedridden, he cannot move. It is impossible for him to have fallen off the bed. He was attacked,” Höll said.

“A piece of skin on his upper right leg has been ripped off. He has so many bruises and there was blood.

“The piece of skin which was ripped from his leg is about 7 cm by 4 cm in size.”

Höll said the attack happened after his grandfather, who is fluent in isiZulu and Setswana, overheard the nurses making fun of his genitals.

After he confronted the nurses, they allegedly attacked him.

“My grandfather said that is when the nurses started yanking him around and hurting him.”

Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng shadow health MEC, described the incident as shocking, horrific, and terrible.

“This should not be happening at a hospital,” Bloom commented on Tuesday morning.

The Gauteng department of health sent out a report on Monday afternoon following an investigation that morning.

“Mr Johan Coetzee has a history of poor peripheral perfusion and dementia. On the 19/05/2019 during nappy changes, the patient’s skin peeled off,” the report states.

Höll claims this is not the first time his grandfather has been physically abused at the hospital.

In February 2018, his grandfather was admitted to the hospital. At that time, he also returned home “battered and bruised”.

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