Matshekge victims develop complications
Chakalisa Dube | Thursday October 12, 2017 18:00
Phodiso Keiponye, who suffered serious head injury during the stone-throwing battle at Matshekge senior secondary school, recently underwent a second operation after reportedly developing serious complications.
In July, the two BMD warring factions led by Sidney Pilane and Ndaba Gaolathe engaged in violence, with supporters pelting each other with stones. The incident landed Keiponye and three other supporters belonging to Gaolathe faction in hospital.
The violence broke up after Pilane’s faction blocked Gaolathe’s team from entering Matshekge, the original party congress venue.
Keiponye spent weeks at the Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital.
The other Matshekge victim, 64-year old Outlwile Tsiara sustained permanent damage in his left eye and says he has developed an issue in his brain. Tsiara has since joined the newly formed Alliance for Progressives (AP) a BMD splinter party led by Gaolathe.
“Since my first operation in July, I have been constantly experiencing severe headaches. I have not been able to do anything since the injury as I have been struggling to recover.
“Doctors discovered that I have a watery fluid around the brain and I was operated on.
“After the operation I spent a week in hospital and I was released late last week,” Keiponye told Mmegi by phone.
The former vendor said he had a watery discharge from his nose, which doctors said was a result of the head injury.
Tsiara said that the AP leadership has promised to take him to a private hospital if his situation does not improve.
“I am going for a check-up and if results show that my health is deeper at risk, I anticipate that the party leadership will take me to a more advanced medical facility. They (party leaders) have been supportive to me and constantly visit me,” he said.