Limpopo family still waiting for dept to release remains of grandchild
The South African Human Right's Commission has been roped in by the Dikgotla family, who say they have been waiting since 2018 for the Department of Health to release the remains of their grandchild.
LIMPOPO – BONUS first reported on their story two years ago, after a 15-year-old pregnant girl visited the Mankweng Hospital for a check-up.
Read more: Family believe negligence at Mankweng Hospital led to death of teen’s newborn
On the day of the check-up, she complained of back pain and a doctor, who later said a urine test was used to determine whether she was pregnant or not, administered a painkiller.
While at home, the girl went into labour, and with no ambulances available to assist, the family had to make a plan to get her to hospital.
Once there, the infant was handed over to hospital staff, who half an hour later gave them the news of the baby boy’s death.
The family maintains that it was negligence on the hospital’s part that led to the event, and according to the family spokesperson, Piet Lekganyane, they have been struggling ever since to obtain release forms after the hospital conducted a post mortem, so the family can have a proper burial.
“They apologised for administering the injection, but refused to take responsibility for the baby’s death.”
The family later instated a civil case against the hospital.From this point on, according to Lekganyane, they were not allowed to see the infants’ remains and would be given “excuses” when they visited the hospital.
“We requested a meeting with the Health MEC, but nothing came of it.”
Shortly afterwards, a case of statutory rape was opened against the teenager’s biological father, which the family believes was an attempt to bully them.
The case has since been withdrawn.
The legal representative in their civil case, also withdrew.
“This is a major reason why the case against the department has been going on for so long, because we could not find proper representation.”
Lekganyane further told BONUS that in March 2019, they were told that the infant had been transferred to the mortuary at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital without their knowledge or consent.
“The documents for the transfer showed that the baby was actually transferred on 12 December 2018.”
Lekganyane said by this time, the infant’s remains were decomposed, while they were waiting to be informed of the post mortem results, which were given to them on Monday.
“The results show that the cause of death was ‘unnatural’, but it didn’t specify since the body was decomposed by the time the port mortem was done.”
He said the family was still waiting for their civil case to be heard.
Health Spokesperson, Neil Shikwambana, refuted the family’s claims, claiming the girl gave birth to a stillborn outside the hospital.
“We offered counselling and assistance from Social Development for the burial. At the time the funeral was to be held, the family came with a lawyer who alleged that the hospital was responsible for the baby’s death, and the family refused to take the remains for the burial.”
He said during the time that the statutory rape case was opened, the family “disappeared for months, leaving the baby at the hospital mortuary”. “When they resurfaced, they sent letters demanding financial compensation and the department only welcomed this in order to get justice for the girl.”
He said the family recently came to claim the body, but that DNA tests have to be conducted to confirm that the correct body is released after all the time that has passed.
Once these tests are concluded, the family will be allowed to take the remains.
The family confirmed that they have requested intervention from the Human Rights Commission.
