High school dropout dupes KZN hospitals, treats patients for two years as a medical intern

A nurse working at Benedictine Hospital told the Sunday Times that Ndlovu came as a student studying at university to gain experience as the hospitals in the rural areas are always understaffed. She was allowed to live in the doctors quarters as she was perceived to be part of them.

Ndlovu mastered her tricks well as she would leave whenever universities open.

A nurse in Nkandla who worked with the accused says Ndlove worked in the outpatient department, the one of the most crucial departments at a medical facility.

“All of us knew that something was just not right about her. She did not know how to stitch patients, she did not know the most basic medical processes like reading blood pressure, the difference between diastolic or systolic, what each of those mean – she had no idea.”

Ndlovu did not know most of the prescriptions and did not suggest treatment.

Another nurse said: “She told us she was an orphan so we all felt pity for her and I think that clouded our judgment. She had no place to live so they let her stay at the doctors’ quarters.

“She was a nice girl, but after a few weeks there was gossip, because she only had two sets of clothes, and we have had students but that is rare. She gave us a sense that she was in transit. She also could not insert a catheter bag, that was strange.”