Pretoria - A Mpumalanga woman is suing the Gauteng Department of Health for R50 million after her left leg was amputated without her knowledge.
Nontobeko Shongwe, 21, claims she was admitted for nine days at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria in November last year. Prior to that, she was in and out of hospitals with complications to her left knee.
She claims a Dr Faleye botched her surgery and was forced to amputate her leg after he mistakenly cut her veins, which caused her to bleed profusely.
She says the amputation also prevented her from writing her 2021 matric supplementary exam and she was therefore unable to pursue her accounting and auditing studies at a higher education institution.
Speaking to the Pretoria News yesterday, Shongwe told of her ordeal.
She said: “On May 25 last year I went to the Kanini Clinic at Matsulu in Mpumalanga because I was experiencing discomfort in my knee.”
According to Shongwe, she was referred to Barberton Hospital for an X-ray scan that revealed she had a cancer called Synovial Sarcoma after a minor operation, and was transferred to Rob Ferreira Hospital for more tests.
She was again referred to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital where she would have surgery.
“At the hospital I was informed that I would be undergoing a second operation on my knee to rectify the first operation.
“On November 17 the operation started at 12pm, but when I woke up my left leg had been amputated.
“I was devastated because it’s not what I had expected ... and I had not received any information prior to or after the operation as to why my leg was amputated.”
Shongwe is also accusing nurses of mistreating her after she refused to be discharged without an explanation as to why her leg was amputated.
“Dr Faleye” eventually explained to her on November 26 why he had cut off her leg. He apologised to me and said that he had accidentally cut off the veins that supply blood and that there was excessive loss of blood. As a result he took a professional decision to amputate the leg to save my life,” Shongwe said.
Shongwe’s lawyer, Godrich Gardee wrote in part: “In the circumstances of the exposition, it is clear there is an admission by Dr Faleye of gross negligence and reckless medical professional conduct.”
Gardee said Shongwe was now suffering from depression. “In the circumstances we are instructed to demand R50 million in respect of compensation for general and special damages,” he wrote.
The letter gave the department 60 days to pay the money.
Department spokesman Kwara Kekana said: “Our legal unit will check the records and confirm with the state attorney whether such a summons has been received.”
Pretoria News