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Health Ombudsman concludes investigation into death of EC teen

Zenizole Vena (15)

File photo


The Health Ombudsman has found that two nurses at the Motherwell clinic failed to provide health care to Eastern Cape teenager Zenizole Vena.

The 15-year-old girl was kidnapped and gang raped in September 2022 in Motherwell.

When she went to the clinic she was turned away and told to go to the police station, however, she died a short while later.

The DA approached the office of the Ombudsman, to investigate the matter.

Ombudsman Professor Taole Mokoena says it was concluded that Sister Thlanjeni and Sister Ndongeni both failed to refer the patient to the next level of care as needed.

The investigation further found that Vena waited 1h30 minutes to get help at the Motherwell police station before she died.

Mokoena says the police officers failed to assist the young girl.

He says it was disturbing that the basic human instinct to assist a child, did not exist within the police station at Motherwell.

Vena's death caused a public outcry and led to the clinic being temporarily closed.

The Ombudsman will refer the nurses to the South African Nursing Council to investigate their apparent misconduct.