Friends allege Johan Duvenhage neglected in final days at Tygerberg Hospice

For nearly five decades, Tubby Currie and Johan Duvenhage shared a friendship forged in the army and carried through every chapter of their lives, until what Currie describes as his friend’s undignified and painful final days that left him with anger, grief and unanswered questions.

Duvenhage, 66, a respected lawyer in his early years in Pretoria who later spent two decades working in Standard Bank’s property division before running his own finance company, was admitted to the M7 and M8 facility linked to Karl Bremer Hospital and operated in partnership with Tygerberg Hospice on February 22 after a stroke.

Currie alleges that during his final weeks, Duvenhage was left lying in a bed too short for his body, developed painful bed sores and was denied consistent physiotherapy and mobilisation that are considered critical in stroke rehabilitation.

One of the friends claimed doctors told them that Duvenhage’s “brain was disconnected from his muscles for movement” and that no amount of physiotherapy or movement would help him sit or walk again.

According to the Stroke Survivors Foundation South Africa, strokes are the leading non-communicable cause of death and disability in the country, affecting an estimated 75,000 to 150,000 people annually.

Speaking with emotion about the ordeal, Currie described Duvenhage’s death as “a sad and tragic story of neglect and negligence”.

“He never complained once, despite everything he was going through,” said Currie. “Johan was the kind of person who endured pain quietly, but seeing him lying there helpless, with no proper rehabilitation and no dignity in his final days, broke us.”

Currie said he often left the facility angry, helpless and deeply disturbed by what he believed was a lack of urgency, compassion and belief in his friend’s ability to improve.

“Last Saturday, the day he passed away, he was talking to visitors at 12.30pm, and by 3pm he was gone, leaving us with so many unanswered questions,” he said.

Currie said he met Duvenhage in 1979 while they were both serving in the army. Currie was 17 and Duvenhage 19 at the time, and the two had remained close friends ever since.

According to Currie, when Duvenhage was admitted after suffering a stroke, friends and loved ones understood that rehabilitation would form part of his recovery journey.

“However, I witnessed a man spending all of his time lying crooked in a bed too small for his size, developing bed sores, with no physiotherapy or mobilisation for a stroke patient who desperately needed it,” he said.

Currie said he struggled to understand how a stroke patient of Duvenhage’s size and condition could allegedly go for such a prolonged period without consistent physical rehabilitation and proper mobilisation.

“At one stage, I personally requested that a monkey bar be installed so Johan could at least attempt to strengthen his arms himself. My friend deserved better,” he said.

Another friend, Angela Deary, also alleged that Duvenhage was not treated with dignity.

“I have photos of his feet squashed together, looking like duck feet. The fact that the doctor told me to my face that his brain was disconnected from his muscles for movement and that no physiotherapy would help him sit and walk again was devastating,” she said.

Deary said what disturbed them most was that they believed Duvenhage had started showing signs of progress and renewed positivity.

“We saw progress, keenness and positivity from Johan day by day,” she said. “When Tubby eventually got the appointment for Johan to be assessed at Lentegeur Hospital, he was so excited when he came back. However, within one week, he was dead. Does this not smell like a rat? Something is very off.”

The inhumane circumstances he was left in for so long are unacceptable.

—  Duvenhage’s friend Tubby Currie

Questions were also raised about the involvement of Duvenhage’s family. According to Currie, Duvenhage had two sons, one living in Pretoria with his ex-wife and another in Australia.

In one of the email threads shared with the Sunday Times, JP, the son living in Pretoria, said the family wanted “the opportunity to say goodbye to him in our own way, surrounded by people who loved him”.

The message angered some of Duvenhage’s friends.

“He was nowhere to be seen during the three months his father was admitted,” alleged Currie. “He didn’t even put his hand up to buy a diaper for his dad, let alone visit him. But he waited until after his death to send this email. It’s a travesty.”

Currie further alleged that the son had taken Duvenhage’s rental deposit from an apartment he rented in Durbanville and did not use it to assist with his father’s care.

The Sunday Times approached JP for comment. He said the family was still coming to terms with the passing of their father.

“This is an extremely difficult and emotional time for all of us,” he said.

“During the period leading up to his death, he received medical care and support following a severe health event. The family remained in communication with the treating professionals, and we understand that his condition was serious.”

He said the family was not in a position to speculate about whether the outcome could have been different.

“Our focus right now is on honouring his memory and allowing the family the necessary space and privacy to grieve. We would like to remember him as someone who was deeply valued by many people throughout his life,” he said.

Robinson Mitchell, community development manager at Tygerberg Hospice, said the hospice and the Western Cape department of health and wellness extended their condolences to Duvenhage’s loved ones.

“The patient was admitted to the Tygerberg Hospice Intermediate Care facility, a non-profit organisation funded by the Western Cape department of health and wellness, following acute treatment at Karl Bremer Hospital,” Mitchell said.

“On admission, a personalised rehabilitation plan was developed to address the patient’s specific health needs, in line with the facility’s mandate to provide transitional rehabilitative care.”

Mitchell said Duvenhage received care from a multidisciplinary team that included a medical officer, professional nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and social workers.

“All interventions were guided by his clinical condition and tailored rehabilitation goals, with ongoing assessments informing the care pathway,” she said. “The care team was aware of his pressure sores and implemented appropriate preventative and therapeutic interventions in accordance with established clinical protocols.”

She added that regular communication had been maintained with the patient’s next of kin and that no formal complaints were lodged during his stay.

“As part of standard medical practice, a comprehensive review of the patient’s condition and the care provided is undertaken following a patient’s passing,” she said.

Mitchell also said the unit was appropriately staffed throughout Duvenhage’s admission and that there were no reported shortages that could have compromised the standard of care.

The clinical team included a medical officer, six professional nurses, one enrolled nursing assistant, 24 care workers, as well as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers and an auxiliary social worker.

Meanwhile, Currie maintained that his friend was never given a proper opportunity to regain mobility.

“It must be clear that Johan was never even given the chance to be put in a wheelchair for 12 weeks,” he said.

“The inhumane circumstances he was left in for so long are unacceptable.”