Internal probe into five-storey death fall

Livingstone Hospital management has started its own investigation into the death of Zanoxolo Mbeki, 29, who fell from a ward on the fifth floor on Christmas Eve.

Clinical services senior manager Dr Mojalefa Maseloa said the hospital was looking into the fall as the man’s size and the small window he was said to have fallen through did not add up.

“We need to see the postmortem report. We believe this will provide us with some answers,” he said. “Nobody saw him jump or fall.” He said the hospital also disputed a claim by the family that Mbeki was not properly identified and was hidden in the hospital mortuary.

“Mbeki did not die immediately of his injuries. He was resuscitated in the hospital’s casualty unit,” Maseloa said.

“We should have left his body in the casualty unit for the police but we thought it would be inhumane.

“Out of concern for his dignity, we moved him to the morgue as we did not know when the police would come.

“We are still investigating what happened. A lot of questions remain.”

Livingstone Hospital chief executive Thulani Madonsela said everything that had happened from the time Mbeki was first admitted to the facility was being investigated.

Mbeki’s uncle, Port Elizabeth businessman Weza Moss, said the death had left his family – including his brother, Save South Africa leader Nceba Moss, and businessman brother-inlaw Sipho Pityana – angry and with many questions about Mbeki’s death.

Since Mbeki’s death, he said yesterday, not much had happened.

“We have consulted lawyers. I met Department of Health head Dr Thobile Mbengashe last week.”

Mbeki’s death certificate stated the cause of death as suicide, Moss said, so there was no insurance payout.