Zenizole Vena was rejected from admission at a local clinic, and was instead sent to a police station – Photo: Supplied
Health Ombudsman: Nurses caused rape victims death
Before her death, teenage rape victim allegedly told old women who assisted her that she knows the men who raped her
Zenizole Vena was rejected from admission at a local clinic, and was instead sent to a police station – Photo: Supplied
The Health Ombudsman has found that the negligence of two Motherwell Clinic nurses resulted in the death of a 15-year-old rape victim who they turned away and later passed away at the police station.
ZENIZOLE’S DEATH
In September last year Zenizole Vena sought assistance at the clinic after escaping from her rapists and was accompanied by an elderly woman Sindiswa Ntantiso.
ALSO READ: Zenizole Vena: Family blames Health Department for gang-raped teen’s death
According to TimesLive, Ntantiso discovered Vena on the street and appeared to be sick and crying and sought assistance at the clinic.
However, she was turned away without care and told to go to the police station- claims which Health Ombud Prof Taole Mokoena said were confirmed during their investigations.
ALSO READ: Zenizole Vena: Are SA clinics allowed to TURN AWAY rape victims?
ALSO READ: Zenizole Vena reportedly knew the two men who raped her
“The healthcare workers who attended to Ms Vena at the clinic did not touch nor examine her with the belief that every sexual assault case should be referred to the South African Police Services (SAPS)” says Mokoena.
“She was instead instructed to go to the Motherwell Police Station Community Service Centre as nurses at the clinic erroneously believed that “nurses are not allowed to touch rape victims to avoid tampering with evidence.”
ALSO READ: SA teen flees gang-rape HELL – but dies after clinic ‘turns her away’
OMBUDSMAN’S RECOMMENDATION
The Health Ombud made 14 recommendations detailed in the report, which amongst
them include:
- The District Manager of the Nelson Mandela Bay District Health should institute
a disciplinary inquiry against the two health workers who attended to Ms Vena
at the Motherwell NU 11 Clinic. - Plans should be put in place such that all SAPS employees engaged with the
public are trained in First Aid, or if there is an emergency, they have easy
physical access to first responders 24 hours a day. This should be implemented
within 12 months of the report. - Healthcare workers must undergo Adult Primary Care (APC) Training to ensure their effective management of sexual assault cases
