‘Dirty’ man dies outside hospital, DA demands full probe

The Tshwane District Hospital has denied allegations that it turned away a homeless man because he was “dirty” and “stank”, shortly before the man died outside the facility.

Democratic Alliance Gauteng spokesperson for department of social development Crezane Bosch reported that the homeless man did not die on the hospital’s property, but a mere few metres away.

She said: “This was about two hours after he tried to get assistance from the hospital and after being turned away for being dirty and stinking.”

Hospital chief executive Naing Soe did not dispute the fact that the man died outside their premises. However, he denied that the hospital had played any part in the homeless man’s death and explained that, by the time they had found out about the man, it was too late.

He said: “It was around 6pm. He was walking along the other side of the street and when he crossed over and he was right outside the hospital, he collapsed.”

Soe explained that by the time the car guard had alerted the hospital and someone had brought out a wheelchair from their facility to carry the homeless man in, he had died.

In response to this, Bosch said: “It’s a matter to be investigated.

“The crucial question is: why did a homeless man turn around to die in the street close to a public facility.

“The investigation should not only include clinical staff, but also support staff [security to the premises and admin].

“The DA will ensure that the provincial government does its job and conducts a proper investigation on this matter, and will continue to ask questions and write to the [member of the executive committee member] on this issue.

“The DA will further call on the premier to establish a intragovernmental task team to address issues of homelessness [health, safety and social] to ensure that no further incidents like this occur to a homeless person.”

Bosch said the Democratic Alliance would be visiting the area on Monday morning.

While they are there, they will “talk to some of the homeless members and the [Community Policing Forum] who were present on the evening”.

South African Police Service (SAPS) Gauteng spokesperson Kay Makhubela said, by the time of going to print, he had no knowledge of the incident.

The man’s death occurred not long after experts called for a state of emergency when five homeless people were killed in Tshwane. SAPS deployed a team of specialists, tasked with unravelling the murders of homeless people in the city.

Captain Mavela Masondo yesterday said he was unable to reach the investigating officer for details into that investigation, as he was out of office.

– jenniffero@citizen.co.za

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