A Pretoria man has opened up about his devastating experience at Steve Biko Hospital, recounting alleged abuse, neglect, and the traumatic impact it had on his recovery following a severe accident.

Micheline Hayden said her fiancé, Willie Momberg, was involved in a severe accident on August 20 on the corner of Es’kia Mphahlele Drive and Moot Street.

“The car in which Willie was a passenger collided with a cement pole.”

She said he suffered extensive injuries and was rushed to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital’s emergency unit.

Hayden claims Willie endured significant neglect while at this hospital.

“Willie was taken for x-rays and CT scans on several occasions that night with no results, and we were not allowed to see him.

“His wounds were stitched that night, but his whole face was left in blood.”

She said the next day, on August 21, he was still in the emergency ward and they were still not allowed to see him or take any food for him.

“His face was covered in dry blood, as well as his ears. He was suffering from a concussion, and the hunger and pain made the symptoms worse.”

They phoned the hospital on August 22 and inquired at the front desk several times about his condition, with the only feedback being that he had a broken pelvis, jaw, and leg which was in fact no true. At the private hospital they found that he had only sustained a broken knee.

“He physically looked like he was dying. The nurse dropped his broken leg two times from trying to lift him from the bed. He complained about pain, and the nurse slapped him on his bruised and cut mouth with his tongue that tore halfway through.”

Hayden said after three days, Willie was still in the emergency ward and had the same drip that he received from the accident scene in the ambulance.

“Willie was not given any medication for pain and he also did not receive any food during his time there.”

She said they then made the decision to take Willie to a private hospital on August 22.

“When we found Willie in the X-ray department, he was crying and begging us to take him home.

“He then told us that the staff had hurt him by dropping his broken leg twice and slapping him on the mouth when he complained of severe pain.

“I’ve always thought that nurses pursued their profession out of a calling to care for people, but most of the nurses at Steve Biko Hospital showed little to no empathy toward the patients around them.”

Hayden said the staff at the private hospital was shocked at the state in which Willie arrived.

“On arrival, staff at the private hospital thought Willie had just been in an accident minutes before he was still covered in blood and a bad state. He was severely dehydrated and starving. On arrival, the staff quickly cleaned his wounds and immediately gave him pain medication and drips.”

The experience has left Willie scarred and traumatised with fear of hospitals.

“Willie is now terrified of hospitals because of his experience at Steve Biko. He says the entire ordeal was traumatic, and despite crying and pleading for help, no one came to his aid. He felt like he was dying.

“The paramedics who transported him to the private hospital were shocked by his dehydration, stating that he wouldn’t have survived much longer. They were appalled that in three days, he wasn’t given a drip or pain medication. They couldn’t believe how he managed to endure so much pain for so long without proper care.”

She said they are appalled by the level of treatment and the state of the hospital.

“Patients in pain are ignored, even when they cry out or ask for help. The nurses completely dismiss them. The smell in the emergency room is so bad it’s hard to breathe properly.

“The floors and the hospital as a whole are shockingly dirty and unhygienic, leaving you to wonder if this is why infections spread and patients don’t recover.”

She urged Pretoria residents to avoid Steve Biko Hospital, saying, “I would never recommend taking a loved one there. The stress and trauma they inflict on both patients and their families will haunt you for a lifetime. I would rather go into massive debt than ever set foot there again.”

Hayden said the Steve Biko Hospital staff did not even give him something to urinate in as he could not walk; he needed to urinate in a plastic bottle.

Rekord reached out to the hospital with a comment.

Steve Biko Academic Hospital spokesperson Lovey Mogapi denied the allegations, stating everything was done according to protocol.

“The hospital Emergency Unit visiting hours are from 14:30 – 15:00. All areas in the hospital have complaint procedures, and all staff are trained on how to communicate with family.”

She said all necessary procedures and treatment were provided to the patient, including giving medication.

“Just like any patient in the emergency ward, the standard diagnostic and treatment protocol was followed. Due to patient confidentiality, all protocols were observed.”

Mogapi added that the emergency ward is cleaned regularly every day.

“The patient’s wounds were cleaned. Just like all public EU, unlimited space is a challenge.”

Rekord received photos of Willie highlighting the stark contrast—his wounds remained uncleaned.

“Steve Biko Academic Hospital staff continues to be committed to ensuring the best service is rendered to the patients. We also promote I serve with a smile. To ensure stakeholder relations is practice,” Mogapi said.

Hayden said the fact that the private hospital staff assumed Willie had just been in the accident when it had happened three days earlier speaks volumes about the negligence at Steve Biko.

“The moment he was taken into the private hospital, within the first 10 minutes, he was cleaned up, made comfortable, and they immediately assessed his condition while keeping us informed.”

Rekord reported two weeks ago that another patient made similar claims at the emergency ward at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital.

Also read: Alarming claims about conditions in Steve Biko Hospital’s emergency ward

A man injured in an accident claims he was left for days in Steve Biko Academic Hospital’s emergency ward without a bed, facing conflicting diagnoses from doctors and even a shortage of plasters.

Meanwhile, Rekord previously reported how a mother’s worst nightmare became a reality at Steve Biko Academic Hospital when she found her two-week-old baby covered in feces, only to be told by a nurse, “You can clean it yourself.”

The shocking incident, involving a baby diagnosed with a rare birth defect, has sparked outrage, raising serious concerns about the state of care at the hospital.

Rekord contacted the Gauteng Department of Health and the hospital for comment but received no response.

Read more here: Newborn with birth defect left in filth at Steve Biko Academic Hospital

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