A Bloemfontein woman’s attempt to save the life of her now deceased daughter has landed her in trouble with the law. The woman, Mamello Kate Khabo (49), is facing a charge of fraud relating to medical aid.
She briefly appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 12 November, following her arrest by the Bloemfontein Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said Khabo’s arrest followed the findings that she allegedly provided false details when she booked her sick daughter at the Busamed Private Hospital in August 2022.
“While completing the hospital admission documents, she gave the details of her other daughter who is registered as a beneficiary on her Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) medical aid. The actual daughter who she brought to hospital was not registered on the medical aid. The patient was then transferred to Bloemfontein Medi Clinic, where she died after two weeks. It was only after the passing of her daughter and the death certificate was issued with the other daughter’s name, that Khabo confessed to giving false details during her deceased daughter’s admission at the Busamed Private Hospital,” said Matoti.
Matoti said that as a result of the reported fraudulent act, the medical aid was prejudiced and suffered a total loss of R438 674.95.
“An amount of R43 159.95 was paid to Busamed and R395 515 paid to Bloemfontein Medi Clinic,” she said. Matoti said the court granted Khabo bail of R2 500 and the matter was postponed to 3 December for the trial date.
