- A family alleges prolonged neglect at Malamulele Hospital following a fatal taxi accident.
- Two relatives died, and two others with severe fractures remain untreated for more than two weeks.
- Calls for intervention from health authorities have gone unanswered, deepening trauma and mistrust.
A Limpopo family is accusing Malamulele Hospital of gross neglect after a devastating taxi accident on 18 October 2025 left six relatives injured and two dead.
The family alleges that those who survived have been met with delays, indifference, and shifting explanations rather than care. They say their pain has been compounded by what they describe as discrimination and a pattern of being “ignored until someone dies or gives up”.
The accident claimed the life of 64-year-old Grace Ntombizodwa Khosa and Evelyn Ndaheni Khosa Mahundla, believed to be around 70. Four other family members were transported by ambulance to Malamulele Hospital. According to the relatives, all were admitted at the same time on the day of the crash, yet only two were eventually transferred for partial treatment.
Speaking to Conviction.co.za, Misabeni Khosa, a family representative, said the ordeal has left them traumatised. “From day one, my brothers tried to raise the issues, but nothing changed. We were left to fight for them on our own,” she said. “They keep complaining and asking me to fight for them because they feel abandoned in that hospital.”
‘Two weeks, no operation, no answers’
The family says the two remaining hospitalised relatives, Edison Baloyi, 49, and Royal Majahatani Baloyi, around 40, have been living through what they describe as a nightmare of stalled treatment, contradictory messages, and outright neglect. Edison suffered broken legs and a broken jaw. He was taken to Tshilidzini Hospital where his jaw was operated on, but he was sent back to Malamulele without the urgent surgery his legs required.
The family says they were left stunned when a surgeon at Tshilidzini reportedly told Edison, “I can operate on the leg since you are already here, but they have to book you for the leg operation. I don’t know why you must return to Malamulele instead of us performing both operations.”
Royal sustained spinal cord injuries and could neither walk nor turn after the crash. His family says he was left in the ward for two weeks before being transferred for assessment, only for nothing meaningful to be done for his spine. He was returned to Malamulele and remains bedridden, dependent, and frightened. “He couldn’t walk or even turn, and nothing was done except some physio,” the family member said. “He has still been lying there in the same state since 18 October.”
Another relative, Mthavini Khosa, approximately 70, reportedly lost her ability to speak after the accident but was never scanned or treated for possible brain injuries. She allegedly has two fractures that remain untreated. Two others, Cisco Khosa and Madjadji Khosa, were discharged to recover at home.
‘Her death was the most shocking’
For the family, the most painful part of this tragedy is the way they believe Grace and Evelyn died. They insist both were stable when admitted, and their deaths were neither expected nor explained. “We were told the driver, Grace, was the most stable. Her death was the most shocking,” said the family representative.
He added that Grace repeatedly complained of shortness of breath, but no chest examinations or checks for internal injuries were conducted. “Her husband had to buy her a fan because staff ignored her complaints,” he said.
Evelyn, who survived for a week after the crash, was transferred to Polokwane Hospital only after what the family calls a “belated” decision. She later died. “We were told she was being observed. But why observe without acting?” the family representative asked.
‘We wrote to the Premier, and no one even responded’
Despite their desperation, Misabeni says they have tried every possible channel to raise the alarm. Their attempts include approaching hospital management, contacting the Limpopo Department of Health, and sending an email to the office of Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba. “I even invited a delegate to the second funeral so they could assure the family that those in the hospital would be attended to. They didn’t even bother answering,” he said.
The family believes the silence signals something deeper. “This experience has devastated us and probably divided us irreversibly,” he said. “We are mourning two deaths in a week, and the other three lie in hospital with no help. It feels like we are fighting alone.”
Limpopo Health Department’s response
Conviction.co.za requested clarification from the Limpopo Department of Health about the allegations and sent detailed questions to departmental spokesperson Neil Shikwambana on Tuesday, 11 November 2025, providing 48 hours for a response. As of publication, Shikwambana has not commented. This article will be updated as soon as the department provides a formal reply.
Get your news on the go. Click here to follow the Conviction WhatsApp channel.
