Trigger warning: This article contains details of an alleged sexual assault and mentions of suicide.
Protesters recently gathered outside Stellenbosch Provincial Hospital and presented a memorandum of demands to the hospital’s management, after an alleged sexual assault occurred on the premises.
The protest took place on the morning of 1 October, according to Stephanie Heneke, community activist and founding member of Wings of Love and Hope. The organisation stands against gender-based violence (GBV), and provides court support to victims of GBV.
The memorandum comes after a 15-year-old was allegedly sexually assaulted whilst in the psychiatric ward of the hospital, according to Bianca Booysen, the spokesperson of the alleged victim’s family.
Protesters gathered outside Stellenbosch Provincial Hospital on 30 September and 1 October, to demand an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a minor on the hospital’s premises, according to Bianca Booysen, spokesperson for the alleged victim’s family. On 30 September, Minister Nomafrench Mbombo from the Western Cape health department told protesters at Stellenbosch Provincial Hospital that the case will be investigated, said Booysen. PHOTO: Alistair Seymour
“A memorandum was handed over to the [Western Cape Health Department] today, indicating the concerns of the family [of the alleged victim]. The department is considering the memorandum and will give feedback to the family,” said Sandra Maritz, communication officer for the Western Cape Health Department (WCHD), in email correspondence with MatieMedia on 1 October.
Stellenbosch Provincial Hospital aims to ensure that it delivers the best possible services, said Natasha Blanckenberg, medical services manager at the hospital, when she received the memorandum from Booysen.
“[W]hen things happen that should not have happened, we take it very seriously. So we go to a lot of effort with that, and we understand that you are concerned,” she said, at the hand-over of the memorandum.
The protesters who gathered outside Stellenbosch Provincial Hospital on 1 October held a moment of silence for people who have fallen victim to gender-based violence. The moment of silence was called for by Stephanie Heneke, a Stellenbosch community activist, while addressing the crowd of protestors. PHOTO: Alistair Seymour
Family claims delay in reporting of incident
The alleged victim was admitted to the hospital on 11 September, according to Heneke.
“[A] 15-year-old girl was raped in Stellenbosch Provincial Hospital, and the parents of the victim were notified many days after the incident had happened,” claimed Heneke.
Maritz told MatieMedia that the WCHD was aware of the incident, which involved a minor and occurred on the evening of 23 September.
“A healthcare worker reported the incident, after which it was reported to SAPS for investigation, and staff took action to ensure the safety of both individuals concerned, while reaching out to both patients’ families,” said Maritz.
However, Booysen claimed that the assault took place on 16 September, and that the mother of the alleged victim was only notified nine days later, on 25 September.
A minor was allegedly sexually assaulted at Stellenbosch Provincial Hospital. Bianca Booysen, spokesperson for the family of the alleged victim, presented a memorandum to Stellenbosch Provincial Hospitals’ medical services manager, Natasha Blanckenberg, on 1 October. The memorandum calls for accountability for the staff who were on duty when the alleged sexual assault took place. PHOTO: Alistair Seymour
“The mother received a call from the doctor saying that there was a sexual incident that happened on the 16 September. [W]hen the mother asked what the incident was, the doctor said it was a rape by a 17-year-old black male psychiatric patient,” claimed Booysen.
According to Booysen, the family currently has reason to believe that the alleged perpetrator had been released on a so-called “weekend pass” from the psychiatric ward at Stellenbosch Provincial Hospital towards the end of September, and had since been readmitted to the same ward.
“I would like to add that the hospital did not do a rape kit…the hospital did not make the charge,” claimed Booysen. “The parent laid the charge at SAPS [South African Police Service], where it is now being investigated at FCS [Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Investigations].”
Sgt. Jason Rhoda, spokesperson of SAPS Stellenbosch, confirmed that the case was reported during the past week by the mother of the alleged victim. No arrests have yet been made, he said.
This is a developing story.