Your card or your life
2003-10-01 07:19
Johannesburg - Minutes after robbers shot a broker from Benoni in the face three times and twice in her body, a private hospital allegedly refused to admit her because she did not have her medical aid card with her.
Staff at the casualty ward of Glynnwood Hospital in Benoni apparently insisted on Friday night that they could not admit the seriously wounded Anette Kleinhans, 59, without proof that she belonged to a medical aid.
Dr Louw Bekker, 64, Kleynhans's bother, who was shot in the mouth and hand, was turned away for the same reason.
"My mouth was full of blood and I battled to talk. They asked whether I was on medical aid.
"And all I wanted was to be helped," said Bekker, who was discharged on Tuesday.
The two were taken to Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg while their families were trying to get their medical aid details.
Seven hours later
The management of Glynnwood Hospital agreed only in the early hours of Saturday that the two victims could be admitted. Bekker was admitted to the intensive care unit at 02:00 and his sister at 03:30 - seven hours after the shooting.
"It is a miracle that they didn't kill her and another miracle that she didn't bleed to death.
"It's all about money," Bekker said.
Louise Meyer, Kleynhans's daughter, said her mother became suspicious at about 20:50 on Friday night when she heard dogs barking at their smallholding in Lilyvale, Benoni.
Kleynhans and Bekker went outside and were overpowered as they walked back towards the house.
The robbers shot him twice and her five times.
The neighbour's 11-year-old daughter, Carolyn Palmer, heard the shouts and shots and called the local neighbourhood watch.
Gruesome scene
Gerhard van Seventer of the neighbourhood watch, who arrived within minutes, said the gruesome scene shocked him. "You cannot believe what Anette looked like. I did not even recognise Louw."
Van Seventer sped to Glynnwood Hospital with the two victims to save time. "I phoned the hospital on the way and said they were wealthy people who had medical aid cover."
Jakes Scholtemeyer, manager of the hospital, said all patients - whether they had medical cover or not - were first stabilised before being transferred to other hospitals. "I know both patients were injected and received intravenous treatment before they were transferred."
He has ordered an internal investigation into why Kleynhans and Bekker were not admitted immediately, despite the fact that they had medical aid cover.
Kleynhans is still in the intensive care unit of this hospital and her condition is stable.
Police Captain Thobile Xakeka said detectives were investigating the robbery and arrests were expected soon.