Martha Marais dies 17 months after being humiliated in Mamelodi Hospital

Martha Marais, who was seen in a video tied to a hospital bench in May last year has died.

The pensioner who made several headlines after being filmed in a hospital bench in Mamelodi hospital died on Friday.

She was said to have passed away at the Eersterust Association and Community Health Center (Eersterust, Pretoria).

Family spokeswoman Virginia Kepler said She died “just hours after visiting her children and celebrating her son Vernon’s birthday.”

Gauteng’s health department reimbursed her family after the viral video of Marais tied to a bench showed up on the social media last year as she waited for treatment in May 2019, sparking public outrage.

Personnel prompted the department to launch an investigation into the incident.

The staff involved, including the nurse and security guard, were on leave.

The settlement agreement, reached in January, was supported by the SA Commission on Human Rights.

Gauteng’s former healthcare MEC Bandile Masuku claimed full responsibility for the incident.

“I’m not going to divide the department into the staff involved, so I’m sorry,” Masuku said at the time.

“We will not be punished because we understand the challenges facing our healthcare professionals, but we have entered a process that we will share with the Human Rights Commission և family-related processes that we have undertaken to address all of these issues. Hospital training, rehabilitation and general management issues.

Kepler thanked the public for their support and prayers to Maris.

“The Ouma Marais family, who were placed on the bench at Mamelodi Hospital last year, would like to thank everyone, especially each staff member, for their selfless care, love, and all those who prayed for Ouma Marais,” Kepler said. ,

“Details of the funeral will follow soon. May the soul of Ouma Marais rest in perfect peace. ”