Gauteng’s new MEC for Health Bandile Masuku has confirmed that four people have been placed on special leave pending their suspension over the alleged ill-treatment of 76-year old Martha Marais at the Mamelodi Hospital, east of Pretoria.
Masuku visited the Marais family earlier on Sunday, along with an official from the Human Rights Commission.
Last week, a video went viral on social media which shows Marais cuffed to a bench and made to lie on the floor.
Masuku says two independent investigations will be conducted into the matter. “We have done our preliminary investigation, the reports have revealed four individuals which were involved and who are in this instance are on special leave pending their suspension. We are going to enter into a full blown investigation which will be independent and we also welcome the involvement of the Human Rights Commission to do their own investigation which hopefully will correlate what we find. We have done a preliminary redress with the family with our HOD of our department and we are going to continue to give psychological and social support to the family.”
SAHRC to seek compensation
The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) says it will seek compensation from the Gauteng Department of Health for the family of the woman at the centre of an alleged ill-treatment scandal.
Buang Jones from the Human Rights Commission says they will engage with the department on an appropriate settlement for the family.
“The SAHRC has initiated its own investigation into this matter. Given the fact that what we observed implicates a number of rights, including the right to human dignity. The SAHRC has obtained instructions to secure appropriate redress for the victim to seek compensation.”
