According to the deceased’s family, a 17 year-old boy was one of the three patients who died in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) when Eskom implemented load shedding and the hospital’s generator failed to provide power.

The Democratic Alliance in the province seek to meet with health MEC for Heath, Phophi Ramathuba regarding the deaths at Letaba Hospital.

Merlyne Mabunda is the mother of the 17 year-old, she confirmed her son was admitted at the Hospital on June 14 and died due to power failure on June 20.

DA’s spokesperson on health, Langa Bodlani said the mother was told on Friday by the nurses that her son’s organs were not responding positively after the loadshedding incidence.

Mabunda’s statement contradicts that of the MEC who said only one patient died. “The Department of Health can no longer insist there was one death, due to acute diabetes, when it is now clear that more patients who were in the ICU when this load-shedding took place have passed on. We reiterate our stance that no less than a fully-fledged independent investigation is needed. We need justice for the families who were robbed of their loved ones by this criminal negligence.” said Bodlani Langa.