Reverend Bougardt takes patient care issues at Mitchells Plain Hospital to Human Rights Commission
The planned complaint follows a separate incident involving Noerisah Sonday, a 39-year-old mother of three, who was taken to the hospital earlier this month after collapsing with severe symptoms, including intense head pain, blocked ears, loss of muscle strength and bowel complications.
Image: File
A Mitchells Plain pastor says he is preparing to escalate concerns about patient care at Mitchells Plain District Hospital to the South African Human Rights Commission, in a move he hopes will bring accountability and broader attention to the experiences of patients in the public healthcare system.
Reverend Oscar Bougardt said he plans to lodge a formal complaint on Monday, following what he describes as troubling experiences involving his brother, a cardiac patient, and family friend Noerisah Sonday, whose case recently drew public attention.
Bougardt claims his brother, who has previously undergone open-heart surgery, became ill during a visit to the hospital and was left sitting in a chair for two days without receiving adequate medical attention.
“We’ve had enough of this. The next step for us is to take the Department of Health to the Human Rights Commission to lodge a complaint,” he said.
He said the decision to approach the Commission is not only about his family’s experience, but about what he believes are broader concerns affecting other patients.
“We are doing it not only for ourselves, but for every patient that goes to the hospital and sits there without medical help,” Bougardt said.
The planned complaint follows a separate incident involving Sonday, a 39-year-old mother of three, who was taken to the hospital earlier this month after collapsing with severe symptoms, including intense head pain, blocked ears, loss of muscle strength and bowel complications.
According to her family, she was triaged as a non-life-threatening case and allegedly waited several hours before being seen by a doctor. She was later transferred to Groote Schuur Hospital, where she underwent a procedure for a suspected brain aneurysm and remains under specialist care.
Bougardt said these incidents, taken together, have prompted him to take further action.
In addition to the complaint, he is launching an online petition aimed at mobilising public support and calling for accountability and improved patient care at the facility. He said further legal steps are also being considered.
“We are very serious about this and we are also taking it further legally, but we want to do it step by step,” he said.
Bougardt argues that access to proper healthcare is not only a service, but a constitutional right.
“Once you don’t get proper medical care, it’s a violation of your human rights,” he said.
The complaint is expected to reference Section 27 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to access healthcare services, as well as provisions of the National Health Act, which require that patients be treated with dignity and receive appropriate care within an accountable healthcare system.
The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness said it has been alerted to a petition circulating on various platforms, but has not received official communication in this regard.
The department confirmed that a formal written complaint relating to the identified patient’s care had been received and that hospital representatives have been in contact with the patient’s family.
“We take these allegations seriously and can confirm that our team is addressing this case and will respond to the family directly,” it said.
The department added that patient dignity and respect remain a priority, but noted that staff at Mitchells Plain District Hospital are working under sustained pressure due to high volumes of emergency and life-threatening cases.
“Triaging remains an essential part of the treatment process that prioritises patients in emergency centre based on physiological status and presenting symptoms,” the department said.
It explained that while triage aims to ensure patients are treated according to the severity of their condition, a patient’s status can change while waiting, particularly as medical teams attend to more critical cases.
The department acknowledged frustration around long waiting times and said management is working on solutions to address delays.
“This is the reality of the emergency centre at Mitchells Plain District Hospital, where healthcare teams are under pressure daily and dealing with complex medical emergency cases, while patients who are not triaged as life-threatening have to wait for hours to receive care,” it said.
It added that patients classified as non-life-threatening may face extended waiting times and advised that those with less urgent conditions consider visiting local clinics.
Bougardt said he hopes that escalating the matter to the Human Rights Commission, along with the petition and potential legal action, will lead to greater accountability and improvements in patient care.
“This is about justice, transparency, and making sure no other families go through the same thing,” he said.