The little Pretoria girl who was critically wounded in the head by a shot fired by her policeman father – who also killed her three-month-old brother, her mother and then himself on New Year’s Eve – is making a miraculous recovery.
But, for the family of baby Khumo Motaung, dubbed the miracle baby by Netcare Garden City Hospital staff, there is grave concern that her medical aid coverage will run out by the end of the month.
The family have learnt that Polmed, the medical aid of Khumo’s father, will apparently not cover her medical bills after the end of this month, unless one of her relatives pays her father’s monthly medical aid fees. Polmed is the medical aid for members of the SAPS.
Adding to the family’s woes is the deafening silence from police on the state of their investigation into the family murder and suicide.
The police have also been mum, despite the family’s enquiries, about whether the SAPS, which Khumo’s father served for two years at the Garsfontein police station, would assist with the medical bills.
Polmed declined to comment, despite repeated queries.
Khumo was shot by her father, Constable Lucas Motaung, 30, in the family’s West Park flat hours before they could celebrate New Year’s Eve.
The shooting, in which Motaung killed his infant son, Bokamoso, is believed to have been sparked by an argument between the policeman and his wife, Phindile, a medical technologist at Kalafong Hospital.
It is believed Khumo’s mother wrested the gun from her husband.
It appears that during the struggle a shot went off, striking Khumo in the head.
Her uncle, Daniel Motaung, said she was making a good recovery.
“She is awake and recognises us. When she sees she gets excited and she cries terribly when we leave after visiting her,” he said on yTuesday.
“We cannot believe she has survived, that she is still with us and alive. She is our little miracle.”
Motaung said Khumo was desperately trying to speak, but was battling. “You can see she wants to talk, but she can’t. The doctors have said they will send her for rehabilitation some time this week, but she will still have to go back to the hospital.
“She is doing well, but has a long way to go.”
Asked about medical expenses, Motaung said he had been notified by the hospital that the medical aid would no longer cover the expenses.
“There seems to be some sort of problem,” he said
“The only way for Khumo to keep her medical aid is for me to make the monthly payments.
“I have spoken to the medical aid, but still need to meet them. I don’t know what is going on or what is going to happen.
“The medical aid says if we pay the fees it will cover Khumo’s medical expenses for the rest of the year, but I have nothing in writing yet and am very, very worried.
“I can barely afford transport and am relying on other family members to help.” Motaung said the medical bills were running to tens of thousands of rand.
“The treatment is very expensive. So is the intensive care unit bed she is staying in. It costs R25 000 just for the bed. That does not include medicine or the rehabilitation she will need.
“If the medical aid stops we do not know what we are going to do.”
Polmed spokeswoman Marlene Eloff said: “The scheme has decided not to comment as it is an in-house matter, as indicated previously.” - Pretoria News