The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
DREAMS of becoming an Environmental Science and Health practitioner are looking dim for Martin Moyo (21) from Lupane District who had his right hand amputated after a freak accident at work in Bulawayo where he had come to seek better fortunes.
Martin, who attained 10 points in his Advanced level examinations at Mabhikwa High School in 2019 and nine Ordinary level subjects at Nhlanhla Secondary also in Lupane had applied to study Environmental Science and Health at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) but had not received any response and decided to seek a temporary job while waiting.
However, that was not to be as he was injured in the first week of casual employment in August 2020.
“I got a temporary job at Sun for Zim, a company that is in Steeldale, Bulawayo along Khami Road. We would work daily and get paid after completing our tasks. However, in that first week I was injured by one of the machines and my hand had to be amputated just below the shoulder,” he said.
He was injured by a plastic waste bailing machine. The plastics that are bailed are sent to Harare for recycling.
Martin was admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital for a month.
Initially, his employer visited the hospital and bought the first lot of drugs that were needed but vanished after that.
“Our boss, Mr Bhekimpilo Nkonjela came the first day I was injured and bought the first drugs that I needed and went away. That was the last time he did anything for me in terms of my medical bills or needs. He never came back to the hospital,” said Martin.
The hospital bills ballooned and his family has so far used US$2 000 for medication and fuel to take him to and from the hospital for treatment and dressing of wounds.
Martin has been having challenges of using public transport as he is affected by smells of oils and fuel which makes him spend the day vomiting, so the best option was to secure private transport to avoid disadvantaging other passengers.
The family has tried in vain to seek an audience with Mr Nkonjela who they cannot locate at the Steeldale complex.
However, the employer complied with the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) regulations and registered the injury which has seen Martin going for physiotherapy at the Workers Compensation Rehabilitation Centre in the city.
Martin argues, however, that there was an error in detailing his injuries.
“The date the accident occurred was entered wrongly, so is the description of my injury, he did not explain that my hand was completely removed, he just wrote that I have a hand injury. But at NSSA they said they could not do anything about the error and only the employer must come and make the necessary changes but Nkonjela has not been forthcoming,” he said.
Martin is worried that he may not get adequate assistance as the employer downplayed his injuries while he suffered a permanent loss of a limb.
Martin has not lost all hope as he has applied to train as an Environmental Health Technician at the Bulawayo Polytechnic next year.
He, however, needs an artificial hand to ensure that he is able to do the activities he used to do before the accident.
“I need an artificial limb to enable me to realise my dream, so I hope to start classes at the beginning of the year,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Mr Nkonjela said he was aware of the incident and the challenge was only with the NSSA documentation which was incorrect.
“NSSA highlighted that he was injured on the left arm and not on the right arm and Martin had a problem with that. He is actually supposed to be admitted into the rehabilitation hospital at NSSA. The rehabilitation he is receiving is based on our subscription to NSSA, we paid for the operation at Mpilo.”
Asked on whether Martin will get an artificial limb, he said he was not supposed to be pushed into assisting him.
“Yes, he will but as a company we are not medical experts, there are bodies which assist people who have such unfortunate incidents. The human side of a business is not required by the law, if I as the owner of the car dedicate a car to ferry Martin to the rehabilitation centre and back, it is something that I do out of the humanity of myself, there is no legal framework that compelled me to do so. I paid for the ambulance when he was injured, so did I pay at NSSA. He will get an artificial limb eventually,” he said.
However, the family said this was news to them as there was no communication to that effect.
Martin’s uncle, Mr Zenzo Sithole who spoke from his United Kingdom base said he wanted the best for him as he is a bright young man.
“My wish is to see Martin go for tertiary education and he gets some funding or a scholarship to assist him. He is a clever boy. My wish was for him to go to a university. Martin came to Bulawayo in January this year after we realised he was very good in school and needed to come and further his education at university,” he said.
Mr Sithole said he tried to get an audience with Mr Nkonjela but efforts hit a brick wall as they were not understanding each other.
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