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Port Elizabeth - A former security guard who was wounded on duty a decade ago and whose medical care was cut off due to the Compensation Fund not paying a hospital is now getting his long-overdue medication.
The Department of Labour's Compensation Fund moved quickly to help Thamsanqa Mtyobeni after GroundUp reported on his plight last month.
Mtyobeni was stabbed in 2006 while on duty as a security guard. His brother has spent the past 10 years feeding and caring for his bedridden sibling.
Last year, Aurora Hospital stopped treating him as an outpatient as the Compensation Fund had not paid it.
Mtyobeni said he had exhausted all available options.
"I am relieved now because my case has received the attention of the Compensation Fund and they have sent my treatment straight from Pretoria that will last for a month.
Apology
"After the article was published, I received numerous calls from Aurora Hospital informing me that they were negotiating with the Compensation Fund to arrange for my readmission to the hospital."
He said the fund had called him to say he would be taken back to the hospital and that inspectors would visit him to have a look at his broken wheelchair, GroundUp reported.
"I will be happy if they can fix it," he said.
His brother said they had given up hope.
"I did my best to clean and feed him, but there are certain procedures that need a specialist. He also needs physiotherapy because he spends most of his time lying in this bed."
Compensation Fund spokesperson Dikentsho Seabo said: "It is unfortunate that Mr Thamsanqa Mtyobeni had to go through that unsatisfactory experience."
The fund apologised to Mtyobeni and promised to provide a good service. It asked medical services providers and hospitals the fund owed money to, to come forward with all the required documents.
