A month after mental health user Klaas Ledwaba was killed in the psychiatric ward at Philadelphia Hospital in Dennilton outside Groblersdal in Limpopo, his family is still waiting for an official cause of death. 

The 33-year-old was shot and killed, allegedly by another patient, during an attack. But Ledwaba’s family is still waiting for the post-mortem results. Now, they have approached a lawyer to take matters up with the Limpopo Department of Health. 

“It is difficult to sleep or get peace of mind for the family, especially his mother and siblings. Since Klaas was killed on March 8, the provincial health department has never come to tell us the cause of his death,” family spokesperson Seun Mogotji tells Health-e News.

“Philadelphia Hospital and police should explain the gunshot wound to the head that Klaas sustained on the fourth day of his admission at the hospital. People here at Uitvlug village and Ga-Botha area as a whole are still traumatised by the incident. We all need closure,” says Mogotji.

Investigations are ongoing 

Limpopo health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana concedes that the Ledwaba family has not as yet received an official report into the tragedy. 

“The internal investigation into the matter is still not concluded, but we are expecting that it will be in the coming week or so. Moreover, the police investigation is still ongoing,” Shikwambana says.

According to the police, the post-mortem results are still pending.  

“The suspect appeared in court on March 10 and was remanded in custody. He will appear again in court on April 22. He is admitted at Thabamoopo Hospital in Lebowakgomo under police guard while undergoing mental observation,” says Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba.

According to earlier police reports, officers were called to the hospital on March 8 to diffuse a brawl among psychiatric patients but found a gruesome scene inside a locked room.

“A male suspect was found on top of a lifeless body of a male person covered in blood. The attacker was allegedly biting the genitals of his victim. The deceased sustained a gunshot wound to the head along with multiple injuries, including missing teeth.

“The suspect also suffered gunshot wounds to both legs, allegedly inflicted by a security officer who was attempting to diffuse the situation. Additionally, a security officer sustained gunshot wounds to the thigh, reportedly caused by a ricochet bullet fired by his colleague during the incident. Several spent cartridges were recovered from the scene,” explained Mashaba last month.-Health-e News