Shot JMPD officer allegedly denied care over city's R35m debt, now fighting for life
A JMPD officer is fighting for his life at a government hospital after he was shot on duty on May 1, the Southern Courier reports.
The officer, who is part of the Tactical Response Unit, was investigating a case of extortion when he was shot. He was allegedly denied urgent, life-saving treatment at Netcare Millpark Hospital because the city owes the hospital.
Sarah Wissler, chairperson of the Section 79 Public Safety Committee at the City of Johannesburg, said he had to sit for six hours waiting to be treated.
'The City of Johannesburg owes the facility more than R35m. Because of this unresolved debt, the officer was refused emergency medical attention and transferred to Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, where he waited for hours before being stabilised. He is now in ICU, fighting for his life. This is an unforgivable betrayal of those who risk their lives to keep our city safe,' explained Wissler.
The City of Johannesburg responds
In a statement issued by the City of Johannesburg, it stated that the city is disappointed and investigating the matter.
'The City of Johannesburg is deeply saddened and distressed by the incident involving our JMPD officer who was injured while on duty. We wish to clarify that there have been inaccuracies reported, and we are actively engaging with Netcare Milpark Hospital to resolve the outstanding medical bills,' said Nthatisi Modingoane from the City.
'Furthermore, we are extremely disappointed to learn that a distressed officer was reportedly turned away from Netcare Milpark Hospital. The health and well-being of our officers who risk their lives daily to serve our residents are of utmost importance.'
Modingoane said it is unacceptable that an officer in urgent need of medical attention would be prevented from receiving prompt care.
According to him, the city has had several meetings with Netcare Milpark Hospital management to discuss engagement processes in line with the relevant legislation.
'It is also important to highlight the fact that there are other role players such as the department of labour who need to process the injury on duty claims.
'The city has taken this matter seriously and has launched an internal investigation to understand the circumstances surrounding this incident. We are reviewing our processes and interactions with Netcare to prevent such occurrences in the future. A detailed report outlining our findings and any necessary corrective measures will be shared once the investigation is complete.
'Although the City of Johannesburg has a certificate of exemption in terms of section 84 of COID Act, we do not have a delegation in terms of section 62 of COID Act. This compels CoJ to report all the alleged COID claims to the Department of Labour Compensation Commissioner for adjudication.
'Thereafter, if liability is accepted, the office of compensation commissioner informs CoJ and the medical expenses related to a particular claim are processed in line with gazetted tariffs by CoJ.
Modingoane said their thoughts are with the injured officer and his family during this challenging time.
'We are committed to ensuring he receives the best possible care and support. The CoJ remains dedicated to supporting our JMPD officers and ensuring they have access to the services they need.'
Wissler said she has written to the city manager and MMC for Group Corporate and Shared Services about this matter.
'I have been to the hospital. I went to see the family and spoke to the officer's wife. She is holding up. The officer is in surgery again. He has lost part of his intestines and putting the colostomy back so that he doesn't get any worse. He is still on machines; one of them being a ventilator,' Wissler said.
She also mentioned that the city must prioritise supply chain issues.
The Southern Courier has reached out to Netcare for comment.
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A JMPD officer is fighting for his life at a government hospital after he was shot on duty on May 1, the Southern Courier reports. The officer, who is part of the Tactical Response Unit, was investigating a case of extortion when he was shot. He was allegedly denied urgent, life-saving treatment at Netcare Millpark Hospital because the city owes the hospital. Sarah Wissler, chairperson of the Section 79 Public Safety Committee at the City of Johannesburg, said he had to sit for six hours waiting to be treated. 'The City of Johannesburg owes the facility more than R35m. Because of this unresolved debt, the officer was refused emergency medical attention and transferred to Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, where he waited for hours before being stabilised. He is now in ICU, fighting for his life. This is an unforgivable betrayal of those who risk their lives to keep our city safe,' explained Wissler. The City of Johannesburg responds In a statement issued by the City of Johannesburg, it stated that the city is disappointed and investigating the matter. 'The City of Johannesburg is deeply saddened and distressed by the incident involving our JMPD officer who was injured while on duty. We wish to clarify that there have been inaccuracies reported, and we are actively engaging with Netcare Milpark Hospital to resolve the outstanding medical bills,' said Nthatisi Modingoane from the City. 'Furthermore, we are extremely disappointed to learn that a distressed officer was reportedly turned away from Netcare Milpark Hospital. The health and well-being of our officers who risk their lives daily to serve our residents are of utmost importance.' Modingoane said it is unacceptable that an officer in urgent need of medical attention would be prevented from receiving prompt care. According to him, the city has had several meetings with Netcare Milpark Hospital management to discuss engagement processes in line with the relevant legislation. 'It is also important to highlight the fact that there are other role players such as the department of labour who need to process the injury on duty claims. 'The city has taken this matter seriously and has launched an internal investigation to understand the circumstances surrounding this incident. We are reviewing our processes and interactions with Netcare to prevent such occurrences in the future. A detailed report outlining our findings and any necessary corrective measures will be shared once the investigation is complete. 'Although the City of Johannesburg has a certificate of exemption in terms of section 84 of COID Act, we do not have a delegation in terms of section 62 of COID Act. This compels CoJ to report all the alleged COID claims to the Department of Labour Compensation Commissioner for adjudication. 'Thereafter, if liability is accepted, the office of compensation commissioner informs CoJ and the medical expenses related to a particular claim are processed in line with gazetted tariffs by CoJ. Modingoane said their thoughts are with the injured officer and his family during this challenging time. 'We are committed to ensuring he receives the best possible care and support. The CoJ remains dedicated to supporting our JMPD officers and ensuring they have access to the services they need.' Wissler said she has written to the city manager and MMC for Group Corporate and Shared Services about this matter. 'I have been to the hospital. I went to see the family and spoke to the officer's wife. She is holding up. The officer is in surgery again. He has lost part of his intestines and putting the colostomy back so that he doesn't get any worse. He is still on machines; one of them being a ventilator,' Wissler said. She also mentioned that the city must prioritise supply chain issues. The Southern Courier has reached out to Netcare for comment. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
