‘She could have survived’
GIRL DIES IN 2-HOUR WAIT FOR MEDICS
A FAMILY in Duduza on the East Rand is blaming the local fire station and emergency services for the death of their 12-year-old daughter.
Noxolo Hlophe died at the Duduza fire station on August 8 after complaining of stomach pains.
Her father, Thomas Hlophe, believes she would have survived had she received immediate medical assistance.
He said an ambulance he called at around 5pm only arrived at the fire station after two hours.
Hlophe said the fire station, that is expected to operate 24 hours, was closed.
“My child came home and complained about stomach pains at about 4.45pm. She went to her bedroom to lie on her bed.
“A few minutes later, she screamed of pain. Her heart was beating fast and she was in terrible pain.
“I called emergency services at 4.59pm and they said they were on their way,” he said.
Hlophe said his daughter got worse about 30 minutes later.
“At 5.30pm we took her outside when foam began to come out of her mouth. I called for the ambulance about six times explaining that she was critical but they kept saying they were on their way,” the distraught father said.
Hlophe then hired a neighbour’s car at 6.30pm.
“We went to the local fire station which is three minutes away because our clinic closes at 4.30pm,” he said.
Hlophe said the hospital was further away and he believed he would get help at the fire station.
“[Former Ekurhuleni mayor] Mondli Gungubele came here and slaughtered a cow to open that station. He said we will get all the emergency assistance we need at that station but it was locked. There was no one to help me.
“I found one security guard at the gate who also tried to call the ambulance. Paramedics called me at 7.15pm. They arrived at the station at 7.20pm but it was too late. My daughter had already died.”
Hlophe said he believed his daughter would have survived had she received help.
“It would have been easier for us to accept her death had she died at the hands of a doctor. Where were the staff on night shift? The ambulances take forever to get to us, I am hurting,” he said.
Hlophe’s wife Mavis Nxombolo said she lost an intelligent child.
“She was so smart. She would offer to cook when I was sick.
“She paid attention when we spoke to her. She always told us that she would build us a big house when she grows up. She was healthy and had no problems, her sudden death pains us,” she said
According to the postmortem report, Noxolo died of poisoning.
Aldicarb, popularly known as galephirimi and commonly used to kill rats, was suspected.
City of Ekurhuleni spokesman Themba Gadebe had not responded by the time of going to print.