Mother to get R18m for brain-damaged son
The MEC for Health has to pay R18.2m in damages to a mother whose son was born more than 10 years ago with severe brain damage as a result of lack of oxygen. A Pretoria News report says Jessie Makhoba initially claimed more than R26m in damages in the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) following the negligence of the staff and doctors at the Pholosong Hospital in Brakpan.
Her son, Sipho Makhoba, is today totally dependent on others and will never be able to care for himself. The court earlier found that the hospital – and the staff at the nearby Nokuthela Ngwenya Community Health Centre – were negligent and that the MEC was 100% liable for the damages the mother could prove that the child had suffered. The money awarded to her will be kept in a trust and used for the future care of the boy, who suffers from spastic quadriplegia.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
