A young Mthatha woman was stabbed more than 10 times altogether – first at home and then while admitted to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital.
Police officer Nkosiphendule Gqokonqana believes his daughter Lihle Matsilela, 22, would not have been attacked in her hospital bed had he not been chased away.
Matsilela sought protection from her father after a man attacked her at home on Wednesday then came to the hospital to find her. He returned and stabbed her again, this time as she lay in her hospital bed.
Gqokonqana said his daughter, who is studying towards a teaching degree, was admitted to hospital at 10pm on Wednesday with four stab wounds.
He said his daughter revealed the attacker was an ex-boyfriend. “My daughter told me she used to date this man and they broke up about a year ago.”
Gqokonqana said Matsilela, who works part-time at a salon during school breaks, would often ask him to fetch her from work, claiming she had no money for transport.
On Thursday she confessed she did that because she feared the man was stalking her. She stays in an outside room on the property her father rents.
On Wednesday Gqokonqana was working late and Matsilela went home alone. She heard movement in the wardrobe and called neighbours. A man carrying a knife charged out of the wardrobe. Neighbours fled and Matsilela was stabbed four times in the upper body.
Gqokonqana discovered his bleeding daughter and rushed her to hospital.
On Thursday morning Matsilela called her father to say the man had come to the hospital and threatened to finish her off.
“She called saying: ‘Please remove me from this hospital because I’m not safe here’.”
Gqokonqana advised her to inform security, which she did.
“I went there at 11.10am on Thursday, during visiting hours. She was starting to tell me what happened when Dr Nyembezi forced me out of the ward despite me explaining I am the father,” he said.
The man returned after Gqokonqana left.
“On my return there was havoc and blood everywhere and people saying a patient was stabbed. I knew instantly that it was my child. I told them I was there to report that man but that doctor did not want to hear me out.
“I feel like the department is trying to cover this up.”
Nehawu provincial secretary Xolani Malamlela was shocked to hear the news and slammed the lack of security, urging the health department to look into beefing up security at health facilities.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said security guards caught a suspect as he attempted to stab security before being arrested.
Kupelo said the hospital would review their security measures but “the hospital is not a prison”.
Woman attacked in hospital
Police officer Nkosiphendule Gqokonqana believes his daughter Lihle Matsilela, 22, would not have been attacked in her hospital bed had he not been chased away.
Matsilela sought protection from her father after a man attacked her at home on Wednesday then came to the hospital to find her. He returned and stabbed her again, this time as she lay in her hospital bed.
Gqokonqana said his daughter, who is studying towards a teaching degree, was admitted to hospital at 10pm on Wednesday with four stab wounds.
He said his daughter revealed the attacker was an ex-boyfriend. “My daughter told me she used to date this man and they broke up about a year ago.”
Gqokonqana said Matsilela, who works part-time at a salon during school breaks, would often ask him to fetch her from work, claiming she had no money for transport.
On Thursday she confessed she did that because she feared the man was stalking her. She stays in an outside room on the property her father rents.
On Wednesday Gqokonqana was working late and Matsilela went home alone. She heard movement in the wardrobe and called neighbours. A man carrying a knife charged out of the wardrobe. Neighbours fled and Matsilela was stabbed four times in the upper body.
Gqokonqana discovered his bleeding daughter and rushed her to hospital.
On Thursday morning Matsilela called her father to say the man had come to the hospital and threatened to finish her off.
“She called saying: ‘Please remove me from this hospital because I’m not safe here’.”
Gqokonqana advised her to inform security, which she did.
“I went there at 11.10am on Thursday, during visiting hours. She was starting to tell me what happened when Dr Nyembezi forced me out of the ward despite me explaining I am the father,” he said.
The man returned after Gqokonqana left.
“On my return there was havoc and blood everywhere and people saying a patient was stabbed. I knew instantly that it was my child. I told them I was there to report that man but that doctor did not want to hear me out.
“I feel like the department is trying to cover this up.”
Nehawu provincial secretary Xolani Malamlela was shocked to hear the news and slammed the lack of security, urging the health department to look into beefing up security at health facilities.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said security guards caught a suspect as he attempted to stab security before being arrested.
Kupelo said the hospital would review their security measures but “the hospital is not a prison”.
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