Cape Town - Employees of a store in Tyger Valley Centre who called on a nearby doctor to assist an ailing security guard were appalled at his reluctance to do so.
Although they don’t blame him for the eventual death of the man, they believe he failed in his medical duty to assist.
Store manager Louqmaan Cupido said the guard was feeling sick but declined to be sent home.
“Later, he started vomiting. We called for an ambulance around 2pm, but it never came. Around 4pm I was asked to take him to the doctor as he was breathing heavily.
“I loaded him into a wheelchair and was going to take him to a hospital, but then remembered there was a doctor and went to ask if he could come out and assist.”
Cupido said a doctor at the mall declined to leave the surgery and said that the man should be brought to him to be assisted.
“I thought it would be faster if he came to the store. I was so upset and asked him if the life of a person was not important to him? I came back to the store and we took him there and that is where he was declared dead, at the surgery.”
Dr Deon Louw said he was busy with paperwork at the time and was unable to go and assist. “I was doing my billing and I was unable to go directly. I am also not a qualified emergency doctor.”
Louw said by the time the guard was brought to him it was too late.
“When he came he gave symptoms that he had passed on. I think he had a problem with diabetes and he wasn't able to eat all day.”
Louw said the man was later picked up by an ambulance from his practice.
Abu Arnold, manager of Red Alert Security in Cape Town, said it was a great loss. “I was not there, but when I went, it was too late.
“I can only say good things about him. He was a good worker; always on time, neat and always had a smile on his face. The whole company is down because of it.”
Arnold said he met with the family and they were assisting as much as they could with funeral arrangements.