Leading private hospital group Netcare participates in an illegal kidney transplant schema involving the buying human kidneys for cash. Donors come mainly from Brazil. Recipients are rich Israelis. Between 2001 and 2003, 109 transplant operations took place in a South African hospital. A doctor, four surgeons, two hospital employees and a translator were part of the syndicate. Netcare has pleaded guilty to its role in the organ transplant scheme and has paid a fine of over R4-million as well as R3.8-million to the Asset Forfeiture Unit. Due to scarcity of organs and shortage of legitimate donors, there has been a tendency to go to the black market. Poor people, who are in desperate need for money, "volunteer" to sacrifice their organs. Methods of persuasion used by these syndicates are highly questionable. Post operation treatment is often lacking. Donors go home soon afterwards with little assisted care in case of complications. It appears that greed and money drove Netcare into involvement. They should have known better.
Like with Kafka's Metamorphorsis, where a human changes into a monstrous insect, Zapiro's cartoon transforms the healthcare organisation NETCARE into a VULTURE.
