A Stellenbosch woman has hailed police and Gugulethu Community Health Centre staff who went the extra mile following an attack on her 79-year-old mother who suffered serious facial and head injuries after her car was stoned.
The woman is one of many who narrowly escaped with their lives, and were left with injuries, in violence amid the taxi strike.
Kann said her mother was driving from Cape Town to Somerset West on Thursday afternoon when she was attacked.
The 79-year-old, who still has no recollection of what happened a few minutes before the incident or during it, was left bleeding, in shock and confused.
“At about 4pm I received a call from the Gugulethu Community Health Centre informing me my mother was brought to their facility by police. They did not have any other information of what happened because the offices immediately left to attend the taxi-related riots. I was in panic a bit and wanted to go but I was advised by the Health Centre that the area remained volatile. I was very worried and contacted our medical aid to send an ambulance but they could not because the area was also unsafe for health emergency vehicles,” said Kann.
Kann was assisted by a Gugulethu Community Health Centre nurse and doctor who kept her abreast about her mother’s condition.
“They were so sensitive and kept on updating me. My husband made a plan and around 10pm I eventually made it to the clinic to collect my mother.I was even more heartened by the care that I received, never mind my mom, as I saw how stretched the medical professionals were, dealing with day-to-day needs of the community, compounded by all the injuries caused by the taxi violence,” she said.
Kann admitted her mother to hospital in Stellenbosch the same night. She was sent to the ICU and was discharged on Sunday.
“She only recalls seeing the police who assisted her.
“This is because of the extent of her injuries. She was either attacked with a large rock or a number of stones because police at Nyanga, who have her car, told me it was badly damaged. All the windows have been broken. The doors and the bonnet were also damaged.
“I’m just grateful to the officers who saw her and the health staff who took care of her. While it is their job to care for the public in danger or hurt I believe they went beyond the call of duty. While our city burns, I think it’s vital that we acknowledge the work being done by such professions,” she said.
Police were not able to confirm details of the case by deadline on Monday.
Cape Times