A mother, desperately looking for answers about her daughter’s death 10 years ago, is now relying on justice to take its course.
Pamela Daweti (23) suffered cardiac arrest while in the Intensive Care Unit in Life Cosmos Hospital shortly after she gave birth to a little girl back in 2005.
Ms Buyiselwa Maditjane, last week relived her daughter’s pregnancy, the hours in labour and the shocking news that her daughter had died.
In the beginning of the court case that started on Monday, March 7 in the Regional Court in Witbank Magistrate Court, Maditjane testified that she took Pamela to see a local gynaecologist, Dr Danie van der Walt.
Maditjane said during their last visit to the doctor on August 8, the doctor said the family can prepare for August 15 and he mentioned that the baby’s head was in the right position and suggested a caesarean.
“Pamela asked if she could try giving birth normally as this is her first baby,” Maditjane shared with the court.
Maditjane further testified that Dr Van der Walt then changed the due date to August 11 and said he was going to induce Pamela.
She said Pamela however insisted in giving birth naturally.
Pamela was admitted at 06:00.
The mother struggled to keep emotion out of her voice as she told of Pamela’s hours of labour.
“At 22:00 Pamela was about five centimetres dilated and I was assured that both Pam and the baby were doing well and that she was going to deliver naturally. Just after we were given that feedback, Dr Van der Walt came in and he was under the influence,” Maditjane said.
She told the court that she was shocked by the way the doctor delivered her granddaughter at about 23:30.
When Pamela started vomiting after the delivery, Maditjane got concerned and called her pastor to come and pray. She claimed that the doctor did not listen to her pleas to help Pamela after she vomited.
After the long night she went home to freshen up, only to be called at 06:00 and be told Pamela had died.
Advocate Salie Joubert, who is representing the doctor, asked Maditjane if there were any signs that Dr Van der Walt was under the influence and he referred to an article that appeared in a newspaper four days later, wherein Maditjane said the doctor’s eyes were red.
“Did you know that the doctor had several cornea transplants, he has an eye problem and that would explain his red eyes,” Advocate Joubert slammed back.
He asked Maditjane if she was aware that Pamela signed a consent form that if there was any complications a caesarean would be done.
“I never interacted with the doctor then, everyone encouraged Pamela to deliver naturally,” Maditjane answered.
Advocate Joubert referred to hospital documentation and said the doctor did not just deliver and walk away.
“The doctor prescribed Maxolon for the nausea,’ he said.
Advocate Joubert said he will convey that Maditjane’s evidence is unreliable, so too is her version of the doctor being under the influence, the discussions of the caesarean, her role in the delivery room and the information about the actual delivery date.
Dr Christiaan Sevenster, who is appointed as the expert assessor to assist the Magistrate Merlene Greyvenstein, asked Maditjane if she was aware that Pamela refused a caesarean.
He pointed out that a note was made on hospital documents that the young mother refused a caesarean.
She took a few seconds before she softly answered,
“She requested a natural birth and she did sign a consent form.”
A case of culpable homicide is being investigated against Dr Van der Walt.
The case was postponed to run from June 28 to July 1 and July 26 to 28.
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