No Communication,.No Care,

Urgent Concern: Delayed Test Results, Lack of Communication, and ********* Medical Practices at Netcare The Bay Hospital, Richards Bay

When a parent rushes their child to the hospital in distress, they trust that the medical professionals will act with urgency, diligence, and integrity. Unfortunately, our recent experience at Netcare The Bay Hospital in Richards Bay has been nothing short of a nightmare—marked by unacceptable delays, poor communication, and what can only be described as ********* financial exploitation.

A Shocking Lack of Urgency

On the evening of the 27th, my daughter was admitted to the Emergency Room (ER) with shortness of breath and asthma-like symptoms. Dr. Govender, the attending ER physician, was thorough and attentive, and due to the severity of her symptoms, she was admitted to Medical Ward 2 for further observation. At this point, we were placed under the care of Dr. Mabusela.

While the nursing staff in the ward were exceptional, we were forced to wait nine hours before Dr. Mabusela even arrived. When he finally did, his so-called "consultation" lasted a mere five minutes—during which he barely engaged with my daughter, showed little interest in her symptoms, and left without offering any real guidance or reassurance.

I personally suggested specific tests that might aid in diagnosing her condition, to which he agreed—but he failed to provide any indication of when they would be conducted or what to expect.

Despite multiple inquiries, these critical tests were delayed until the following day. My daughter eventually underwent:

An echocardiogram

Lung spirometry test

Holter monitoring

A sleep apnea assessment

By 3:00 PM that afternoon, we were informed that Dr. Mabusela had handed over our case to another physician because he does not work on Fridays. We were assured that the new physician would see us shortly—yet we waited another agonizing hour and a half until 4:30 PM before this doctor arrived. Her "examination" lasted less than ten minutes, and despite my daughter still suffering from the same troubling symptoms, she was discharged with nothing more than a vague mention of a "slight wheeze" and a prescription.

The Unforgivable Delay in Test Results

Following her discharge, I began calling daily from Monday onwards to follow up on the test results. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday—each time, I was told the results were "not available."

Over a week passed, and despite repeated attempts to obtain clarity, we were left completely in the dark. How can a physician claim consultation fees but withhold critical medical results for over a week, especially when the patient is a sick child?

After escalating the issue to Netcare The Bay Hospital’s management, we were finally emailed the reports—six days later. However, the ordeal did not end there.

When I called Dr. Mabusela’s office for an interpretation of the results, I was met with an outrageous demand:

We could only receive an explanation if we paid for another consultation.

Let’s be very clear—these tests were conducted while my daughter was admitted in hospital. By all medical and ethical standards, the doctor responsible for her care should have reviewed the results during her hospital stay and reported back accordingly. Instead, we were discharged without a proper follow-up, no referral, and no clarity.

Yet, Dr. Mabusela has already claimed his consultation fee for a mere five-minute hospital visit—one in which he did nothing to help my child.

A Systemic Failure—Or Pure Exploitation?

From what we can gather from the reports, the tests indicate asthma and heart-related issues, including atrial fibrillation, and explicitly state that further evaluation is required.

This raises a disturbing question—why did the attending physician see the need for additional assessment, yet fail to act on it? Why was no urgent referral made? Why was no follow-up arranged?

Even more troubling is the blatant financial gatekeeping of medical care. The expectation that a parent should pay for another consultation just to access and interpret results that should have been addressed in hospital is nothing short of ******ion.

Would my child have received proper care if I had paid more? If we were a different demographic? The reality is chilling—this doctor saw no urgency in helping my child unless there was more money to be made.

The Disturbing Reality of Medical Malpractice in Richards Bay

If you search online, you will find countless complaints against doctors in Richards Bay, with endless reports of malpractice, misdiagnoses, and severe medical negligence. Patients are suffering, yet nothing is done.

Year after year, case after case, these doctors continue to brush complaints under the rug—and Netcare The Bay Hospital is complicit in allowing this disgraceful system to persist.

The reality is evident all over social media—horrifying stories of botched treatments, medical misdiagnoses, and gross negligence that span years. These are not isolated incidents—they are part of a deeply broken system that prioritizes money over patient care.

A Call for Accountability

I am sharing this experience not just for my daughter, but for every patient and parent who has faced similar negligence and ********* treatment.

I demand immediate answers and action from Netcare The Bay Hospital:

1. Why were my daughter’s test results delayed for over a week?

2. Why was she discharged without a proper follow-up, despite documented medical concerns?

3. Why was I required to pay for a separate consultation just to receive results from tests conducted during her hospital stay?

4. What measures are being put in place to ensure that other patients do not experience this level of neglect and exploitation?

If this matter is not urgently addressed, I will have no choice but to escalate my concerns further—to the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), the Department of Health, medical ethics review boards, and all available legal avenues.

To anyone reading this, if you or a loved one have experienced similar treatment at Netcare The Bay Hospital, I encourage you to speak up.

We cannot allow medical negligence and financial exploitation to go unchecked.

Patients deserve better. Children deserve better. And I will not rest until accountability is served.