A Lekwa-employee allegedly got preferential treatment during load-shedding on Monday, July 26.
Ms Hazara Shaik, a radiographer, contacted the Standerton Advertiser about what had transpired the afternoon.
The electricity interruption was to be between 15:00 and 17:00 and she already turned patients, needing an x-ray, away, saying they had to return the following day.
“The daughter of a woman, working at the electrical department of the Lekwa Municipality, arrived at 15:55 and told me her mother needed to be x-rayed,” Ms Shaik said.
She explained the situation, but the woman allegedly insisted that her mother works at Lekwa.
“They are going to put on the electricity for her,” the daughter allegedly said to the radiographer.
Ms Shaik said that after 16:30 she won’t be able to help since she leaves then.
“They are going to put it on, especially for her?” Ms Shaik asked the daughter.
The patient arrived at 16:15 for an x-ray of her ankle and the power was on.
The x-ray was done and the electricity was put off again at 16:45.
Ms Shaik added that she has tried several times to contact the municipality, to no avail.
“I had to turn Covid-19 patients away,” she concluded.
“It’s not fair.”
The newspaper contacted the communications manager of the municipality, Ms Thobeka Mtshiselwa, on Thursday, July 29, asking for comment on the incident.
A reply is awaited.
