The Welkom Magistrates’ Court has found a patient guilty of assaulting and humiliating a health worker at the Thabong Clinic on 26 July 2024.
The incident occurred after the patient visited the clinic in the early hours of Thursday, 25 July 2024, and expressed dissatisfaction with the speed of service. Following his voluntary departure, he returned the next day with a bucket of excrement, which he poured on the unsuspecting health worker.
“This action created chaos and disrupted health services in the reception area. This forced the clinic to close prematurely,” says Mondli Mvambi, spokesperson for the Free State Department of Health.
Mvambi says that after the attack, the individual boasted about the incident on social media, further highlighting the severity of his actions.
“A case was subsequently opened with the police, which revealed that he was a parolee. He was swiftly nabbed for this case, as well as violation of his parole conditions. The violated health worker and other affected staff members received counselling from the department and returned to their duties, demonstrating resilience and dedication to their patients.”
Monyatso Mahlatsi, Free State MEC for Health, expressed pride in the health worker’s strength and emphasised the importance of the upcoming sentencing, hoping that it would reinforce the dignity of health workers and serve as a warning to those who commit acts of violence against public servants.
