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Picture depicting insurance fraud
Three nurses from a KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) hospital allegedly cashed in over R160 000 from a number of fraudulent policies they took out on a patient in a wheelchair.
Three of the four policies, which were taken out over a period of time, paid out after the 24-year-old Nduduzo Mbatha suddenly died in the Appelsbosch Hospital in the Ndwedwe area at the end of last year.
Apart from laying fraud charges with the police, the family says that Mbatha died under suspicious circumstances.
The family of Mbatha says it took them almost a year to get enough evidence with the help of their lawyer to lay charges.
Mbatha was in a wheelchair after he was shot in 2023. He passed away in Appelsbosch Hospital in November last year.
His aunt Happiness Mbatha-Zama says they only realised something was wrong when her funeral policy wasn’t paid out.
“I think it’s my insurance that brought this to light because they kept calling my brother. That’s how we found out that that Nduduzo had numerous policies in his name by people they suspected were not related to him. And I fell into this category. Unfortunately, I did not get my pay-out. But those who are not related to the family got their payout.”
The family says Mbatha was diagnosed with anemia after going to hospital complaining of a sore chest and headaches.
After more than a week in hospital, his condition suddenly took a turn for the worse and he passed away two days later.
Siyabonga Mbatha, Nduduzo’s father, says with the help of their lawyers it took nearly a year to uncover the truth about the insurance fraud. He says the family is very angry about that, as well as suspicious about the circumstances surrounding his death.
“He passed away in a ward that all three these nurses were working in. When he passed away; the way his condition rapidly changed. It only took two days. We went to see him and found that today he’s in a condition that he wasn’t in yesterday. In these two days he was not speaking and he passed on.”
Bongiwe Mbatha breaks down in tears next to her first born’s humble grave as she recalls how friendly the nurses were to the family, even bringing them groceries before Nduduzo’s funeral.
“I want them to go to jail because I wouldn’t have suspected that my own child would be killed by people I saw as my sisters because the policies matured.”
KwaZulu-Natal Health Department spokesperson Nathi Oliphant says they have started an investigation into the complaint that the family lodged with the hospital last month.
“The hospital management engaged with the nurses, who denied the allegation. They were then instructed to submit written statements, but refused to do so. The nurses subsequently submitted 24 hour resignation. Due to the seriousness of the matter the department has referred the matter to the Special Investigations Unit for a full investigation, while the SAPS conducts the criminal probe. The department is cooperating fully with all authorities.”
Meanwhile, the family says Nduduzo Mbatha’s medical file mysteriously disappeared shortly after his death.
They want to know what could have led to the sudden deterioration of his condition and death.
