A shocking video of a 76-year-old woman chained underneath a Mamelodi hospital bench has sickened the South African public after the victim’s daughter shared and uploaded footage to Twitter.
The harrowing video – which has alerted the attention of government and the local legislature – lasts for 45 seconds and reveals the disgusting treatment imbued on Martha Marais at the facility.
The daughter in the clip is heard to be yelling at the lackadaisical staff, who don’t even offer to help untie the frail old woman. It’s believed leather straps were used to restrain her, and she was forced to lie on the cold, hardened floor for a large portion of Tuesday night. Marais initially went into the venue with a stomach complaint.
Instead of receiving care and treatment, she was on the wrong end of some callous behaviour. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Marais said she was “feeling better” after her ordeal. The incident marks the first challenge for new Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku, who must now decide how his department will deal with the Mamelodi debacle.
Meanwhile, the National Department of Public Administration issued their sincerest apologies on Wednesday. They promised that heads would roll for this unacceptable incident:
Watch Video Below:
https://youtu.be/juNfLU735Dw
