The Gauteng Department of Health is saddened by the news of the cold blooded murder of one of the pharmacist interns (24 year old from Limpopo) who was killed in the presence of her mother and six year old child by her boyfriend - who also turned a gun on himself - last night Wednesday, 22 May 2013, at about 22h30.
The incident happened at Sizwe Tropical Diseases Hospital, in Sandringham, residences where the intern was accommodated as she was a government bursary holder from Limpopo. According to Hospital officials, the boyfriend - who was a regular visitor - was with the deceased in the bedroom when he shot the deceased. The deceased walked to where her mother was sleeping with the six year old to wake her up and the mother, on realising that her daughter was injured, called for assistance. She was taken to Edenvale Hospital where she died. A suicide note was also discovered on the scene.
It is not clear what would have caused the boyfriend to commit the murder and suicide just a week after his girlfriend's graduation and the mother said she did not hear any noise or violent struggle.
The department, and staff at the hospital, are still shocked about the incident. The Acting Head of department said the department has been robbed of a young professional at the launch of her professional career.
"Pharmacists are a scarce resource in our country. For her skills and life to be taken away in such a violent manner is beyond anyone's imagination. A child will now grow up without a mother, a mother has lost a daughter who may have been the only hope in the family and community and the public health system is one Pharmacist less," said a shocked and shaken Ndoda Biyela.
The name of the deceased is withheld in order to allow the whole family to be notified and to protect the identity of the minor.
