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Best of Bloemfontein Winner 2015/2016 www.crazyplastics.co.za Shop 16, The Showgate Centre, Curie Avenue THURSDAYTHURSDAY 20 JULY 2017 NEWS YOU CAN USE FREE We are not racist, says Mediclinic Bfn PULANE CHOANE “The union has agreed to the and accommodates and provides [email protected] principles of Section 197 of the transport for them, this is only for a Labour Relations Act and the month. “We have found that there Mediclinic Bloemfontein says transfer of a going concern, where is a shortage of specialist nurses in contrary to statements in last week’s employees have the option to South Africa, so a few years ago, we Bloemfontein Courant, support service remain employed in pre-existing implemented a programme where staff are not victims of institutional favourable conditions.” we import specialist nurses from racism, but rather that the hospital India to hire them here in South had to lower increases across the Africa. We provide them with food, board. accommodation and transport only According to Mediclinic in the fi rst month of their arrival, Bloemfontein spokesperson, Barbara and then let them fi nd their own Steenkamp, the hospital has had Mediclinic’s offer to feet thereafter,” Jordaan clarifi ed. the workers is also several meetings with staff members above what the law Meanwhile, Nehawu treasurer in who are from the National Health requires the central west region, Thabiso Education & Allied Workers Union Lala, denied that workers may (Nehawu), however, no agreement be confused with the difference on the matter of wages has been between their severance and Bloem bars behoorlik! reached. pension packages. On the issue of outsourcing of staff, “We have explained to our Met die Vrystaat Kunstefees wat hierdie week in Bloemfontein begin het, Steenkamp said support services do Even so, Steenkamp said, employees members what the difference bars die stad behoorlik uit sy nate. Kunstenaars, kunsliefhebbers, tegnici not form part of the hospital’s core still have the option of selecting between these two are and as we en gewone toeriste het sedert verlede naweek op die Rosestad toegesak services, which are nursing, technical voluntary severance packages, which, also work in line with the Labour vir die grootste kunstefees in sentraal-Suid-Afrika. Bloemfontein as well as administrative functions. she stressed, must not be confused Relations Act, we are clear on Courant het Dinsdag op die eerste dag van die fees op die kampus van “Supportive functions such as with their pension packages. how the two differ. We maintain die Vrystaatse Universiteit deurgebring en onder andere in die sangers housekeeping, laundry and security Estelle Jordaan, Mediclinic’s that the severance and pension Dewald Fourie en Emo Adams vasgeloop. Terwyl Dewald nie veel oor are more effi ciently managed by National Nursing general manager, packages of our workers are low,” sy teenwoordigheid by die fees wou sê nie, het Emo groot lof vir die dedicated service providers and this said in a separate interview that Lala said. organiseerders van die fees gehad en Bloemfonteiners aangemoedig om is the case at most of our hospitals,” while it is true that the hospital According to Lala the strike will in groot getalle die fees by te woon. Nog berigte en foto’s oor die fees she added. has imported nurses from India continue indefi nitely. binne. FOTO: PIERCE VAN HEERDEN Competition from 1 May – 31 August 2017 More Information and entry forms available at the Your Holiday of choice to the value of R50 000 Mimosa Mall Info Desk. T’s and C’s apply. CHRISTMAS IN 21 and 22 July www.facebook.com/RoundTableSA @RoundTableSA #iamawinterknight 2 COMMUNITY NEWS • GEMEENSKAPSNUUS www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za • [email protected] • 20 July 2017 Two holes, one scar, no answers for patient PULANE CHOANE vacuum assisted closure (VAC) to clean how I got them,” she said. Tshazibane said [email protected] the wound.” as she plunged into depression and with She said cardio surgeons then transferred her medical funds near exhaustion, she A woman said she is heartbroken and her to the plastic surgery ward so that requested the hospital to discharge her. angry and has lost all confi dence in the she would receive fl ap surgery, which, Another practitioner attended to her at Universitas Academic Hospital (UAH) in according to the internet, is a technique a local clinic every week. “I came to the Bloemfontein after a series of operations in plastic and reconstructive surgery clinic on 21 June and he was satisfi ed that have left her with a gaping scar from where any type of tissue is lifted from a with the wound and said I could come her breast to her belly button, a scar on donor site and moved to a recipient site back after two weeks. I came back on her outer thigh as well as what seems to with an intact blood supply. 5 July and was admitted then for a skin be septic holes in her breasts. She was admitted for this surgery in graft. The skin graft was done and the Self-employed mother of two, Lorato May and said the doctors opened her other portion of the breast was stitched Tshazibane, said, “I had a heart attack on stomach to get fat from it to fi ll the but there was a hole that was plus-minus 19 January and an angiogram was done. angiogram wound. A few days after the 10 cm deep, in the breast,” Tshazibane I was again admitted on 19 February for operation, Tshazibane said, the wound said. a bypass, and while the operation was a began excreting an unknown fl uid, which She added that after three days, the success, the wound became septic. The was drained by a practitioner. She said wound on her thigh (for her skin graft) wound was opened and I was put on the practitioner worked on draining the was not covered. As a result, she is left fl uid for over two weeks, but with no with a scar on her outer thigh. Her chest success as the fl uid kept oozing from the has been botched and has a gruesome wound. She said another VAC procedure scar and fi nally, her breasts have holes Lorato Tshazibane, helpless and ailing with a scar was performed on her stomach wound in them, while she said the sight of the stretching from her chest and all the way down to as doctors attempted to stop the fl uid scar between her breasts and stomach is her stomach. from oozing out. unbearable to her. The helpless patient said her stomach Tshazibane said before these operations wound has been opened twice while she was self-suffi cient, bubbly and full doctors were battling to fi nd a solution of life. Today, she owes her youngest Monday at Universitas Hospital and now to her ailing body. She was taken for son’s college fees in excess of over intends to lay a complaint of negligence surgery almost every week until one day R40 000 and stays with her eldest son against the provincial health department. she returned from surgery to fi nd two and his family in Kimberley and often Departmental spokesperson, Mondli holes in her left breast. has to travel between Kimberly and Mvambi, could not comment on “I do not know where these holes came Bloemfontein for these treatments. the matter as he needed to gather from, neither did anyone explain to me She was once again discharged on information from the relevant parties. Advertising signs in Mangaung illegal SEITHATI SEMENOKANE illegal advertisers within the process is indicative of the city’s [email protected] jurisdiction of the metro of the commitment to a clean, globally enforcement of the outdoor safe and attractive municipality to The municipality has estimated advertising by-law. work, invest and live in,” he added. that more than 80% of advertising “All those who are found not to Khedama concluded by stating signs that are found in the city are be complying or who have illegally that if advertisers adhere to the illegal. erected advertising structures advertising by-law, it will improve Mangaung Metro council approved without the city’s consent will the safety of pedestrians and the amended outdoor advertising have their structures removed motorists. Residents who wish by-law on 9 October 2015. This and will be fi ned,” said Managung to apply to put up adverts are was done as part of the revenue spokesperson, Qondile Khedama. encouraged to approach the city’s enhancement strategy of the Khedama added that the outdoor advertising unit located city. But now the municipality amended by-law is aimed at on the 8th Floor of the Bram has realised that illegal outdoor ensuring a more stringent Fischer Building. Eugean Malebo advertising is resulting in a high loss regulation of outdoor can be contacted on 051-405- of revenue. advertising on all forms of 8540 or Bianca Dauds on 051- The municipality has warned all outdoor advertising. “This 405-8066. Literature Festival draws readers and thinkers SEITHATI SEMENOKANE discuss the contemporary book Thandeka Gqubule. There is also [email protected] industry. It also looks at the the Sol Plaatje Lecture, in which current literature culture of the the multifaceted author and thinker, The Literature Festival is currently country, as well as who is out there Sol Plaatje, is celebrated, which will running alongside the Free State representing the South African be delivered by the internationally Biltong Slicer Arts festival, taking place at the book industry.