Algoa FM
Further medical tests will have to be conducted to decide whether one of the accused in the fraud and corruption case related to Nelson Mandela Bay's IPTS is fit enough to stand trial.
Businesswoman, Andrea Wessels' health medical records were aired out in the city's High Cout on Monday after she failed to appear in court last week due to alleged health reasons.
Wessels' GP Dr. Coenraad van Schoor testified in court that his client had been presenting severe symptoms associated with a bleeding peptic ulcer.
Van Schoor said Wessels would only be able to travel using a priority one ambulance due to concerns over the state of her health.
He said that he had advised her to admit herself to Charlotte Maxeke Hospital but she had not done so because it is a public facility.
Dr. Van Schoor said that he had not been able to also do an endoscopy because of the unavailability of funds.
Meanwhile, gastroenterologist Dr. James Garisch told the court that further testing would need to be done to determine whether Wessels is fit to stand trial.
Dr. Garish told the court that Charlotte Maxeke Hospital is an academic hospital so there is no reason to believe that it wouldn't able to cater to her condition..
He said that Wessels' doctor would have to test her hemoglobin levels, oxygen saturation, and possibly a stool test to determine if she could travel to Gqeberha.
High Court Judge, Philip Zilwa, asked Dr. Van Schoor to run the tests but he said the tests would cost his client money who had previously indicated that she had financial woes.
Dr. Garish advised that a private laboratory could extend some empathy to the Wessels' situation and do the tests for free if her doctor motivates the request.
Judge Zilwa postponed the matter to Thursday for the outcome of the medical results.
Wessels and eight others stand accused of colluding to line their own pockets with money meant for the city's beleaguered IPTS.
They face 140 counts including corruption, fraud, and money laundering.
They are all out on R100 000 bail each.
