June 9 2011 at 07:42am
By Jauhara Khan, Kamini Padayachee and Sapa
The family of a young Durban doctor is reeling in shock after he was killed by a patient at an Mpumalanga hospital on Tuesday.
Senzosenkosi Mkhize, 27, of Yellowwood Park, was stabbed in the chest by a patient at Middelburg hospital. A security guard who tried to stop the man from fleeing was stabbed in the hand.
On Wednesday, Mkhize’s father, Zamokuhle Mkhize, said his son had only been at Middelburg hospital for five months.
He had previously been serving his internship at Prince Mshiyeni hospital in Umlazi.
Describing the incident, Zamokuhle said Mkhize had tried to assist a man at the hospital’s out-patients unit.
“The man said he had had an operation on his wrist in 2006. When he came in yesterday (Tuesday), he wanted to be seen by a doctor because he said doctors had left needles in his hand. My son referred him to the x-ray department to have his hand looked at. When he came back with the x-ray, my son explained that the scan showed there were no needles in his hand and suggested he go to the orthopaedic department.”
He said the man became angry and then left.
“My son had his back turned while he was working on the man’s files. The man came back and when my son turned around, he stabbed him (Mkhize) in the hand. My son tried to ward him off, but the man stabbed him in the heart.”
Zamokuhle said Mkhize had wanted to specialise in surgery and was passionate about the medical profession.
“From a young age he had a passion to help others. Even at high school at New Forest High, he had leadership qualities and was the school’s first black head boy. He was going to finish his community service this year and then return to Durban to specialise in surgery.”
He described his son as a “respectful, loving and happy person” and said he had a nine-year-old daughter, who lives with the family.
Mkhize’s funeral would take place in Durban on Saturday.
Police Lieutenant-Colonel Leonard Hlathi said officers were searching for the patient, who fled after the stabbing.
“We know who he is, because we have the hospital records.
“We will find him,” promised Hlathi.
Health Professions Council of South Africa acting CEO and registrar Marella O’Reilly said Mkhize’s murder was “unacceptable”. “We already have a dire shortage of health-care professionals in the country and we cannot afford to lose more practitioners as they fear for their own safety.”
National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union spokesman Sizwe Pamla said the murder was not the first crime to take place at Middelburg hospital.
“Two months ago, two nurses were attacked and a patient was killed last year at the same hospital,” he said.
Mpumalanga government officials said Mkhize’s murder showed that security needed to be upgraded at hospitals and clinics.
An investigation would be carried out into how the patient had been allowed to bring a knife into the hospital. - The Mercury
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Very sad, another senseless death of an innocent hard working citizen, I hope the cops find him pronto and he should get life.
By Jauhara Khan, Kamini Padayachee and Sapa
The family of a young Durban doctor is reeling in shock after he was killed by a patient at an Mpumalanga hospital on Tuesday.
Senzosenkosi Mkhize, 27, of Yellowwood Park, was stabbed in the chest by a patient at Middelburg hospital. A security guard who tried to stop the man from fleeing was stabbed in the hand.
On Wednesday, Mkhize’s father, Zamokuhle Mkhize, said his son had only been at Middelburg hospital for five months.
He had previously been serving his internship at Prince Mshiyeni hospital in Umlazi.
Describing the incident, Zamokuhle said Mkhize had tried to assist a man at the hospital’s out-patients unit.
“The man said he had had an operation on his wrist in 2006. When he came in yesterday (Tuesday), he wanted to be seen by a doctor because he said doctors had left needles in his hand. My son referred him to the x-ray department to have his hand looked at. When he came back with the x-ray, my son explained that the scan showed there were no needles in his hand and suggested he go to the orthopaedic department.”
He said the man became angry and then left.
“My son had his back turned while he was working on the man’s files. The man came back and when my son turned around, he stabbed him (Mkhize) in the hand. My son tried to ward him off, but the man stabbed him in the heart.”
Zamokuhle said Mkhize had wanted to specialise in surgery and was passionate about the medical profession.
“From a young age he had a passion to help others. Even at high school at New Forest High, he had leadership qualities and was the school’s first black head boy. He was going to finish his community service this year and then return to Durban to specialise in surgery.”
He described his son as a “respectful, loving and happy person” and said he had a nine-year-old daughter, who lives with the family.
Mkhize’s funeral would take place in Durban on Saturday.
Police Lieutenant-Colonel Leonard Hlathi said officers were searching for the patient, who fled after the stabbing.
“We know who he is, because we have the hospital records.
“We will find him,” promised Hlathi.
Health Professions Council of South Africa acting CEO and registrar Marella O’Reilly said Mkhize’s murder was “unacceptable”. “We already have a dire shortage of health-care professionals in the country and we cannot afford to lose more practitioners as they fear for their own safety.”
National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union spokesman Sizwe Pamla said the murder was not the first crime to take place at Middelburg hospital.
“Two months ago, two nurses were attacked and a patient was killed last year at the same hospital,” he said.
Mpumalanga government officials said Mkhize’s murder showed that security needed to be upgraded at hospitals and clinics.
An investigation would be carried out into how the patient had been allowed to bring a knife into the hospital. - The Mercury
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Very sad, another senseless death of an innocent hard working citizen, I hope the cops find him pronto and he should get life.
Shame to lose a guy like him