A Port Elizabeth student was assaulted by a security guard as she tried to film Livingstone Hospital nurses apparently lazing around while patients needed urgent medical attention.
The Herald reports that a Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University student filming Livingstone Hospital nurses allegedly lazing around while patients needed urgent medical attention was assaulted as a security guard tried to delete the footage.
The incident occurred in the full waiting room of the accident and emergency unit early on Sunday, as scores of patients waited for help, at about the same time as a psychiatric patient hanged himself in the unit.
NMMU construction economics student Sinovuyo Canta, 29, has laid a complaint of assault against the security guard with the police.
Canta said she had gone to Livingstone at about 3am on Sunday to support a pregnant friend, Zama Bongosa, 22, of North End, who had been taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Canta said she and Bongosa’s boyfriend, Lukhanyiso Matshoba, 27, who is from Grahamstown, raised concerns over the lack of attention patients were receiving at the unit while nurses just stood around the nurses’ station.
When Matshoba started taking the video of the nurses, one of them told him to stop.
“She was calling security. I told her he had stopped [filming]. Then I said: ‘Why are all of you here now?’ Then I started shooting video.”
Canta said a security guard grabbed her by the arm and twisted it behind her back. “I also felt punches in my stomach.
She is considering taking legal action against the Department of Health and the security firm.
Bongosa said a nurse had shouted for security to come and escort Matshoba out of the ward and to force him to delete the video footage he had recorded.
“It was at this point that security started assaulting a friend of mine [Canta] who had also questioned the appalling conduct of these public servants.
“She [Canta] was then grabbed by her arm and beaten up by a male security guard. The beating could’ve been more severe if my boyfriend hadn’t intervened.”
Police spokeswoman Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg confirmed that a case of assault had been opened at the Gelvandale police station.
Lebo Nare, a director of Mafoko Security, which supplies the hospital with guards, said they were not aware of the incident but, if true, it was unacceptable.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said: “At this stage, the management of Livingstone Hospital has not been informed of the incident.
“We urge those involved to get in touch with the department.
[link url="http://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2017/03/08/student-filming-lazy-nurses-assaulted/"]Full Herald Report[/link]