Death of toddler Unabantu Mali

By Mishkah Anthony
21 March 2009

The City of Cape Town has conducted a preliminary investigation into the death of toddler Unabantu Mali, who died on his grandmother Ntombizodwa Mali’s back after they were reportedly turned away from two Provincial Government Clinics and one shared Provincial and City Government Health Facility this week.

The City’s Communication Director Peter Cronje says the City cannot comment on the issue of Gugulethu Community Health Centre and KTC Maternity Obstetrics Unit, which are Provincial facilities.

However Cronje says the City commissioned an investiagtion into the City of Cape Town section of the Nyanga Clinic.

“There was no record of Mrs Mali coming to the clinic on Tuesday this week, and no staff members said that they had seen her.

“ They had one record of Mrs Mali and her grandchild coming to the facility on 9 March, in which the child was treated and a nurse used her personal vehicle to take Mrs Mali and Unabantu home.”

Cronje says the City will cooperate with Provincial government who now instituted an independent investigation. If the investigation finds that any of our staff members did not follow the City of Cape Town’s strict policy of not turning people away from its clinics, and then we will take immediate disciplinary action.