Cape Town - A Kensington man has butted heads with Canal Walk after a lamp pole crashed on his head while at the shopping mall on Boxing Day.
Zain Mohamed, 24, suffered a horrific gash to the head after the metal post with round glass lamps, which stood on a concrete pillar outside the building, apparently broke loose from its bolts and toppled on him.
According to a friend, Canal Walk allegedly refused to offer him private medical care.
The friend, Benito Holmes, says he was smoking outside near the food court when he heard a loud crash.
“The incident happened up by the stairs and I saw the light pole had fallen on Zain,” he says.
“There was no security at the time, my phone battery was flat and I was asking people to call the ambulance.
Picture: Supplied.
“People were rather making videos instead of helping him because he was bleeding from his head.
“I called the ambulance but it was only about an hour later that my girlfriend managed to get the on-site medics (from Canal Walk) to where he was lying.
“What angered me was when the operational manager, Gavin, came, he said they have a policy which stated if someone gets hurt, they have to be transported to a government hospital. So it was either Du Noon or Somerset Hospital.
“I told this guy why can’t they take him to MediClinic which was close by in Milnerton.
Picture: Supplied.
Brace
“He said there was nothing they could do and his hands were tied.”
Zain was then placed on a stretcher with a head and neck brace and taken to
Somerset Hospital.
Benito adds: “He got to the hospital and he still had to wait for help. The way that hospital looked was shocking.
“Canal Walk showed no sympathy at all towards Zain. They need to take responsibility for their negligence.
Zain Mohamed, 24, suffered a gash to the head due to the incident. Picture: Supplied.
“It could have been my son and it could have been fatal.”
Zain received a number of stitches to his head and his neck is injured.
Yesterday, family members said he was not well and not able to speak to the media.
Canal Walk Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Wood confirmed: “We are aware of the incident that took place at Canal Walk.
“Our medic arrived on the scene within minutes. The gentleman was first treated by our on-site medic.
“The ambulance was called and he was taken to hospital for further treatment.
“The area has been made safe and the matter is being investigated.”
Wood did not answer questions about Canal Walk’s policy of sending shoppers injured on their premises to state hospitals.