Netcare denies turning away shot JMPD officer as City of Joburg disputes R35 million debt claim
Netcare Hospital Division has dismissed claims that its Netcare Milpark Hospital turned away a Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officer who was shot while on duty, allegedly due to a R35 million debt owed by the City of Johannesburg.
This follows allegations made by Public Safety Committee Chairperson Sarah Wissler, who said the officer was refused medical attention and transferred to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, where he waited for hours before receiving care.
'Last night, one of our JMPD officers was shot while on duty. When taken to Netcare Milpark Hospital, he was denied emergency care because the City of Johannesburg owes the hospital R35 million,' Wissler said in a statement on Thursday.
According to Wissler the officer, now in critical condition, was moved to Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, where he received delayed treatment and remains in the intensive care unit.
'As chairperson of the Public Safety Committee, I am appalled. Our officers put their lives on the line for us daily. They deserve immediate care, not bureaucracy and delays,' she said.
Wissler said she escalated the matter to the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) and called for the outstanding debt to be settled urgently.
In response, Netcare reaffirmed its commitment to providing critical care to all individuals, including members of the JMPD, and refuted claims that the officer was denied emergency care.
Netcare confirmed that on the night of April 30, a JMPD officer received immediate, lifesaving treatment at Netcare Milpark Hospital.
'Following established global trauma protocols for Priority One patients—those with the most time-sensitive, potentially life-threatening injuries—the officer underwent comprehensive screening and was stabilised before being transferred to another appropriate facility under the guidance of a leading trauma surgeon,' said Dr Erich Bock, managing director of Netcare's Hospital Division.
'As always, our priority as healthcare professionals is the wellbeing of our patients, and we remain fully committed to providing only the highest level of emergency care to every individual who comes through our doors. That wholehearted dedication extends to JMPD officers and others who risk their lives to protect our communities.'
Bock added that the officer later underwent a procedure at another Netcare facility, where he continues to receive medical attention.
'We are doing everything in our power to support our patient and will continue to closely monitor his progress while providing full support to him, his family, and his colleagues during this challenging time,' he said.
While Netcare acknowledged that payments are outstanding, including fees owed to independent private practitioners working at Milpark and other facilities, the hospital emphasised that emergency services are provided in good faith, and patient care always comes first.
'In many emergency situations, patients are transferred between public and private facilities only after they have been stabilised,' Bock said.
'We rely on fair and timely compensation to ensure the sustainability of our operations and the continued availability of expert medical professionals.'
He added that discussions with the City are ongoing and expressed hope for a swift resolution.
The City of Johannesburg also issued a statement expressing sadness over the incident, which occurred Wednesday during a police pursuit.
During the chase, a suspect opened fire, striking the officer twice in the upper body.
The officer was airlifted to Milpark Hospital for emergency care.
However, the City said it was dismayed by the hospital's refusal to treat him, allegedly due to an outstanding R35 million debt.
'The city wishes to clarify and refute these claims, stating that the current outstanding bill for Milpark Hospital stands at R3.9 million, with payments being processed and paid weekly,' the city said in a statement.
Officials said the city has held multiple meetings with Netcare management to explain its payment process and reiterated its commitment to settling all obligations.
'The conduct of healthcare professionals present at the hospital on the day of the incident is deemed unprofessional and unethical,' the city said.
'Such conduct is unacceptable, especially in circumstances involving critically injured emergency personnel.'
The City said it plans to lodge a formal complaint with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) regarding the incident.
It has also tasked the Acting City Manager with assembling a team of senior executives to urgently meet with hospital management and instructed the Group Forensic and Investigation Services (GFIS) to launch an internal probe to determine whether any City officials acted negligently.
In addition, the City said a formal complaint would be submitted to the Speaker and Chief Whip of Council regarding the councillor who made public statements without verifying the facts.
Meanwhile, police confirmed that an individual believed to be an acquaintance of the suspect was arrested. A firearm and ammunition were recovered.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
IOL News
Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
01-07-2025
- The Citizen
Bara hospital: The good, bad and ugly
The hard reality of a large state hospital and what it offered came as a sharp corrective. I was shortly to be transported from my bed in a very public – and noisy – ward onto a gurney and thence to the theatre. There, a growing tumour was to be removed from my bladder. For I was in Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto. While awaiting my imminent hour of reckoning in theatre, I contemplated my brief journey to that moment. It had all started a little over eight weeks previously when I had been incarcerated in a Netcare hospital seeking relief from a burgeoning sarcoma adjacent to my chest wall. This malevolent growth had bloomed in a few short weeks, inducing, in the latter stages, chattering cold followed by blazing fevers on a daily basis. And with an infection count of 200 – normal is zero – I was swiftly whisked into the high care ward of the hospital. There were 14 beds curtained off, each with a TV screen and a locker for the few belongings. Nurses, perhaps one for every two patients, clean towels, a green hospital gown into which you were expected to change and wear and two fully equipped bathrooms, plus several washing stations with soap dispensers. And as expected, spotlessly clean. As for the meals, they are definitely edible, top boarding school stuff. Ultrasound and MRI scans, chest X-rays and all other preparatory procedures were conducted swiftly and efficaciously. ALSO READ: 'I could die before surgery': Cancer patient lost in Gauteng hospitals backlog Your nurse could be summoned by the simple act of pressing a button, and lo! She manifested. Once the operation was concluded, a visiting physio forced one to get out of bed and move around. All of the above I recalled in a haze, which blurred into my arrival at Bara. A total of 20 hours patiently queuing with a few hundred others over two days seeking admission, which, once granted, involved my finding my way from urology to ECGs and X-rays, through pharmacy and into accident and emergency, where I was informed my transport to a faraway ward could be accessed. Carrying just a small canvas bag containing basic toiletries and a few snacks, I was squeezed into an already overloaded minibus and careened off through the vast confusion of Bara. Finally, I arrived at a vast modern complex built to accommodate large numbers of Covid-19 patients, which never happened. I set about finding my ward. Echoing long, empty corridors and passing several empty or half-empty wards, I finally arrived. Large cubicles simply furnished… my own was equipped with a bed, a thin blanket and a thinner pillow encased in a thick plastic covering. There were no lights behind the beds, allowing one to read. And there was a small locker. Nothing to change into, no gowns provided, the good-natured nurses smiled apologetically. There were two large lavatories cum shower rooms, both spotless. But, sadly, no soap or towels. More smiling apologies. ALSO READ: Gauteng hospitals get major tech overhaul to slash scan backlogs The toilet bowls are clean, but they are devoid of seats. The harsh reality of a large state hospital and its offerings came as a sharp corrective. The next day, I was transferred back into the main hospital building – the surgical ward where patients due for imminent surgery were bedded. This was bedlam compared to the calm, quiet half-empty ward in which I had spent the previous night. Patients head to toe in a corridor, in which I was shown my bed. Of privacy in a cubicle, there was none, of lockers, there were none. Nor were there blankets on my bed, so two large coats were found and thrown over me. Nor was I offered anything to wear. The following morning I was handed a pair of hospital pyjamas unnervingly similar to concentration camp uniforms and, of course, forbidden any food I nervously awaited the inevitable. I had already received visits from the young anaesthetist and one of the surgical team members, who had done their best to calm my fluttering nerves. Finally, the moment of reckoning. A porter arrived with the gurney, I climbed on, nerves jangling uncontrollably and then, as we moved, unbelievably and unexpectedly, the sound of singing. Had I died and gone to heaven? It was the Lord's prayer, voices exquisitely harmonised. Around the corner in the main ward, they stood – a small shimmering complement of young women who sang. All fear evaporated as I was wheeled at speed to the anteroom outside the theatre, my anxieties utterly stilled. In that lucid calm, I knew I was safe. NOW READ: Alarm raised over 'R1.7bn fire safety gap' at Charlotte Maxeke hospital
TimesLIVE
14-06-2025
- TimesLIVE
Gowns, chairs and school shoes donated by health groups bring comfort to little ones
Bringing comfort closer for patients, two healthcare companies have joined forces in support of Bertha Gxowa Hospital, a Gauteng provincial facility. Custom-made chairs were supplied by Universal Care to help meet the need for comfortable seating in specific waiting areas around the Germiston hospital while 1,755 pairs of hospital pyjamas, nightdresses and gowns for patients ranging from the ages of one to 12 years were provided by Performance Health. 'Our ongoing relationship with state healthcare facilities such as Bertha Gxowa Hospital enables us to respond swiftly to critical needs, from antimicrobial and sporicidal curtains to these essential comfort items,' said Dr Nono Ledwaba-Mweli, medical director of Universal Care. 'This collaboration is vital not only for immediate improvements but also for building a sustainable healthcare system where patient dignity and comfort are prioritised alongside clinical care.' Dr Mandisa Maholwana, MD at Performance Health, said: 'Patient comfort plays a crucial role in recovery and morale. We remain committed to supporting healthcare facilities wherever possible.' On Friday, 700 pairs of shoes were handed over to children at a rural school in Magaliesburg. The event was to acknowledge the milestone of 300,000 pairs of school shoes donated by the 'My Walk Made With Soul' NPO since its inception in 2020 as an upcycling collaboration between Netcare and Adcock Ingram Critical Care. The shoes are made from recycled materials from Adcock Ingram's Critical Care manufacturing facility, which produces drip bags and tubing from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and offcuts from participating Netcare hospitals in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
TimesLIVE
04-06-2025
- TimesLIVE
Young doctors and dentists offered free medical aid cover for a year
Young doctors and dentists making the tough transition from study to practice are eligible for 12 months of free medical aid cover from Profmed. The medical scheme said eligible candidates must be under the age of 30, must have completed community service in the past two years and are either unemployed or have found work within the previous six months. The initiative is linked to finDR, a digital platform launched by Profmed to connect newly qualified medical professionals with job placements across the country as locums and in permanent positions. More than 800 qualified doctors are on the platform. 'This isn't only about benefits,' said Profmed CEO Craig Comrie. 'It's about ensuring young professionals don't fall through the cracks. 'We've heard from far too many doctors who, after years of study and community service, are left without work, income or the ability to access private health care. That's unacceptable.' This comes amid concerns about the pressure young doctors work under, prompting a call for healthcare professionals to recognise the risk of burnout and depression by Dr Bavi Vythilingum, a psychiatrist practising at a Netcare Akeso clinic in Kenilworth, Cape Town. 'It is deeply concerning that at least 50% to 60% of healthcare professionals will experience depression at some point during their working lives. Junior doctors are particularly vulnerable, and their risk for depression and burnout seems to be increasing. 'One of the factors that contributes to burnout is work overload as doctors are expected to do more and more within the same amount of time. 'Beyond patient consultations, they face a growing mountain of paperwork, from medical aid forms and insurance requirements to documentation and providing clinical feedback on patients with complex medical needs.' Vythilingum said doctors are expected to never fall ill physically and with their mental health. 'We are expected to keep going, no matter what. This means many doctors don't seek mental health care when they need it, often because they are afraid this reflects negatively on their competence or ability to practice. 'Tragically, doctors often wait until they can't cope before seeking mental healthcare, and by then it becomes more difficult for us to help, where earlier intervention could have prevented such a serious decline that it may affect all areas of their lives. 'Like their patients, doctors must feel empowered to seek help early, whether through confidential counselling, peer support groups or mental health resources tailored to healthcare professionals.' Netcare invited South Africans to join an international awareness movement aimed at increasing support for mental health for medical professionals. 'Everyone is encouraged to wear colourful, mismatched or otherwise attention-grabbing socks to mark Crazy Socks 4 Docs on the first Friday in June every year,' the hospital group said.
