Local expresses grievance after her antenatal appointment

I had an antenatal appointment at the Brackenhurst clinic, when I arrived there the lady that collects cards outside shouted at me in Afrikaans. I proceeded to tell her that I don’t speak Afrikaans because I’m Portuguese.

She told me I must understand what she is saying. I apologised for the fact that I didn’t understand Afrikaans and made my way into the clinic.

While getting inside the clinic she again shouted at me saying if I don’t have a chair to sit I will be kicked out of the clinic.

I again apologised and said thank you and got a chair available for me to sit.

She came back to me saying I needed to go check my urine. After the urine was checked she told me to go take my vitals.

I made my way to the vitals station. The lady doing vitals refused to take my vitals and told me in a very rude manner to go sit down and go take my vitals elsewhere.

I sat down and the same lady that took me for urine checking came back asking me why were my vitals not done? I began to explain to her that her colleague refused to take my vitals.

She then made her way to the vitals station, which was right next to where I was sitting to asked her colleague what was going on.

The lady that takes the vitals said very loud: “I don’t want that one sitting here and I will not take her vitals and if I do it, it will be when I want at 13:00.”

This was 09:45 in the morning.

She kept taking vitals from other people but not mine.

I had everyone in the room laughing at me and I was so embarrassed then I began crying and made my way outside, then I went to the bathroom to see if I could calm down. To keep my chair I left cream of mine on top of my seat.

When I returned someone was sitting on my chair and my cream had been removed. The lady that took me to do urine checking removed my cream and gave my chair to another patient.

When she saw that I was back she told me in a very rude manner that she will knock on me and asked me where was I? And who told me to leave my chair? Again, the people in the room laughed at me. She also said that I must keep quiet because she is the one that is allowing me to be inside the clinic.

I had enough of being treated badly and told her that I don’t need her permission anymore to be there and that I wanted my file back. I told her that I will not be treated like that and told her that she is extremely rude.

She first refused to give me my file. I went and spoke to the nurse and explained what had happened.

The nurse said she was going to write on my file that I’m refusing to be seen by them and she will write it on my clinical card.

I told her no she will not do that and I want my card back. I finally got my card and left the clinic.

I find their behaviour unacceptable, especially with someone that is pregnant.

I would like them to be reprimanded by their behaviour and I would like them to rebook my appointment at the clinic and apologize in front of everyone for their behaviour.

Flàvia Tyne

CoE’s response

City’s spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said upon investigation, the official that attended to the client is generally loud, which has led to other clients misunderstanding it to be shouting.

“The official was advised to control her voice so as not to upset avoid customer complains. The clinic is implementing Covid-19 guidelines where only a limited number of clients are allowed in the waiting area while others queue outside. She was not going to be offered a seat inside because only a delegated official controls the queue,” he said.

The official, according to Dlamini, did not refuse to take vital data but advised the complainant to wait for her turn because she was still busy with other clients.

He said the client was not refused assistance but did not cooperate when requested to wait in the queue.

“The complainant demanded her file, and, therefore, she was informed that she would be assisted when her turn arrives. All clients are supposed to be in the queue. The situation of staff shortage was explained to the complainant,” said Dlamini.