VIDEO: JMPD officer shot on duty denied emergency care over City's R35m hospital debt

The Citizen

02-05-2025

A JMPD officer is fighting for his life at a government hospital after he was shot on duty on May Day.
The officer, who is part of the Tactical Response Unit, was investigating a case of extortion when he was shot and he was subsequently denied urgent, life-saving treatment at Netcare Millpark Hospital because the city owes the hospital.
Clr Sarah Wissler chairperson, Section 79 Public Safety Committee at the City of Johannesburg, said he had to sit for six hours waiting to be treated.
'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.
Comment from the City of Johannesburg
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 CoJ.
'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.
'It is unacceptable that an officer in urgent need of medical attention would be prevented from receiving prompt care. 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.
'Our 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.'
Update – May 2
Wissler said she has written to the city manager and MMC for Group Corporate and Shared Services about this matter.
@southern.courier
A JMPD officer is fighting for his life at a government hospital after he was shot on duty on May Day. The officer, who is part of the Tactical Response Unit, was investigating a case of extortion when he was shot and he was subsequently denied urgent, life-saving treatment at Netcare Millpark Hospital because the city owes the hospital. Clr Sarah Wissler chairperson, Section 79 Public Safety Committee at the City of Johannesburg, said he had to sit for six hours waiting to be treated. '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. Read full story on southerncourier.co.za
♬ original sound – Southern Courier
'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,' explained Wissler.
She also mentioned that the city must prioritise supply chain issues.
• The Southern Courier has reached out to Netcare for comment and will publish it as soon as it is received.
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