A man who allegedly stabbed an intern and patients at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto at the weekend suffered from a mental disorder.
“That person is a mental patient [at the hospital]. He doesn’t know what he did and he can’t even remember what happened,” police captain Phephi Matlou-Mtetho said on Monday.
She said the police were opening a case of assault, and were waiting for the intern doctor to be discharged.
“We will have information on the case then.”
Gauteng’s minister for health Ntombi Mekgwe said on Monday her department would investigate.
“The department, together with hospital management, will … consider the outcome of the investigation and tighten security measures if needed,” she said in a statement.
On Sunday, the Democratic Alliance said an intern doctor and four patients were stabbed at the hospital on Saturday night.
Mekgwe confirmed that a “psychotic” patient became aggressive and attacked the doctor and other patients.
“The patient was restrained by hospital security personnel. All patients suffered minor lacerations and were sutured. Debriefing was initiated to the doctor and patients.”
She said what had happened was “unfortunate” and that the hospital’s security was adequate. – Sapa