The High Court has held the North West Health MEC liable for medical negligence after hospital treatment delays left a local teacher with permanent brain damage.
The North West health department will have to fork out damages to a school teacher who suffered permanent brain damage after urgent treatment he needed was delayed at the health facilities in the province.
The North West High Court, dealing with an appeal, overturned a 2024 earlier ruling that dismissed a medical negligence claim brought by Tebogo Joseph Koboyatau. The court declared the Health MEC liable for 100% of Koboyatau's proven or agreed damages. The quantum of damages will be decided at a later date.
Judge Andre Reddy, Acting Judge J.T. Maodi and Acting Judge G. Maree found that Koboyatau had proved that negligent treatment at Gelukspan District Hospital and Mafikeng Provincial Hospital caused the catastrophic injuries that left him permanently disabled.
In the judgment, the court said Koboyatau was a 29-year-old teacher at Ikopanyeng Secondary School when he was stabbed in the left side of his chest and upper arm in June 2014. He was initially treated at Setlagole Clinic before being transferred to Gelukspan District Hospital later that evening.
