Ermelo families slam officers for ‘no compassion’ during child medical emergencies
A mother rushing her sick toddler to hospital was allegedly forced to pay fines, while in a separate case, a child's uncle got pepper-sprayed in a casualty ward.
A mother from Ermelo, who asked to be identified only as Joyce, says she was left distraught last Tuesday when a routine roadblock delayed her while she was rushing her ill three-year-old son to hospital.
Highvelder reports that her son had been sick since the previous Friday, and his condition worsened when his temperature suddenly spiked to 38.9°C. Their doctor told her it was a direct-admission case and that she needed to get him to Mediclinic immediately.
“I hadn’t slept properly for days. I was exhausted and scared, and just wanted to get him help,” she said.
On her way to the hospital, she was stopped at a roadblock where officers informed her that her vehicle had outstanding fines. She claims they insisted she settle them before she could continue.
“I explained that my child was very sick, but they didn’t grasp how serious it was. One officer said I could drop my kid at the hospital and come right back to pay, but I told him there would be no one to open the file for my son or to be with him, as he is three — I needed to be there,” she said.
Joyce described feeling ‘helpless and broken’ as her son, who was later diagnosed with a lung infection and bronchitis, needed urgent care.
“My heart was racing, my hands were shaking. It felt like everything was working against me.”
She eventually paid the fines, saying she felt she had no choice. Her child was admitted shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Second emergency the same day
This incident coincided with a second confrontation shortly thereafter, when a child suffering a seizure was rushed into the emergency room.
A heated altercation occurred between traffic officers and the child’s uncle, who was pepper-sprayed in the casualty ward and subsequently arrested.
Families feel unsupported
In both cases, families say they felt unsupported during medical emergencies and that the officers’ handling of the situations lacked compassion and added to their distress.
Highvelder has now reached out on two occasions to the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson, Moeti Mmusi, but he has not yet responded.
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