She is not doing well’ – family of mother tied to hospital bench
A 76-year-old woman is in a worse off state after being restrained underneath a hospital bench at Mamelodi Hospital on Wednesday evening.
A woman was bound to a chair and forced to lie on the ground. (Image via Twitter)
Department spokesperson Philani Mhlungu maintained on Wednesday that the parties have reached a settlement and that the matter had been finalised.
However, the SAHRC said there was a settlement proposal before them for consideration, but that neither party signed it.
“Until such time that it is signed, we can’t say we have reached a settlement,” SAHRC Gauteng chairperson Buang Jones .
“The view of the family and the commission, which acts in a representative capacity for Ms Martha Marais, is that we have not reached a settlement. We are in discussions with the department regarding the terms of the proposed settlement.”
According to the department, the settlement negotiations were entered into on September 20 this year, almost four months after Marais was left tied to the hospital bench on the floor for several hours.
Family members found Marais, who visited the hospital for medical treatment, hungry and dehydrated.
At the time, family spokesperson Virginia Keppler said Marais was not a violent person and, in the event that she had had a psychotic episode, she was so old and fragile that she couldn’t do any harm.
She added that Marais was heavily traumatised: “She keeps on repeating herself about what happened to her and how she was tied up…”
In June, the SAHRC announced they would be acting on behalf of the family, with the intention to seek redress for Marais, as well as compensation.
The family also opened a case of assault against the hospital, which is currently before the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for a decision on whether to prosecute.
The then-newly appointed Gauteng Health MEC, Dr Bandile Masuku, and Health Minister Zweli Mkhize also intervened and an investigation was carried out.
In June, four staffers who had been implicated in the incident were put on special leave as the investigation continued.
It has since emerged that the investigation has been concluded and that one nurse, and doctors who were initially implicated, have been exonerated.
However, charges have been brought against another nurse and medical officers.
“This matter is still pending and once the implicated staff members have responded to the charges brought against them, the department will determine the way forward, as well as the [course] of action to be implemented,” Mhlungu said.
