Tauhir Lewis, 8, from Manenberg died after a firecracker exploded close to his ear, on Saturday October 31.
Frustration is mounting among Manenberg community activists following the death of eight-year-old Toheer Lewis, whose mother was allegedly informed that no ambulance was available after her son began vomiting and complaining of severe headaches following a suspected firecracker incident.
Toheer died on Sunday morning, November 1, after a firecracker allegedly exploded near his ear while he was playing outside his home in Kei Street, opposite Manenberg Primary School.
Toheer's uncle told the Cape Argus that the boy ran to his mother after the incident because his ear was bleeding. She reportedly applied ointment to the affected area.
Family says ambulance did not arrive
He subsequently complained of severe head pain and was given Panado. However, his condition deteriorated when he began vomiting, prompting his mother to contact emergency medical services.
According to his uncle, she was informed that no ambulance was available.
Several hours later, in the early hours of the morning she reportedly received another call asking whether assistance was still required because no ambulance had become available.
Toheer's mother confirmed that her child still needed medical attention and indicated that she was prepared to wait.
However, the ambulance allegedly never arrived.
Boy found unresponsive the following morning
Toheer later went to sleep, but when his mother checked on him the following morning, she found him stiff and unresponsive.
On Monday, the family confirmed that the post-mortem process was still under way and indicated that Toheer's janaza (Islamic funeral) would most likely take place on Tuesday morning.
Community activist Yumna Alexander expressed frustration over the incident, saying the family believed earlier medical intervention could potentially have saved his life.
"You report that your child is in need of medical care, your child is vomiting, bleeding from the ears you are not an expert, you don't know what to do, then the professionals also can't help because they don't have an ambulance available..." Alexander said.
She questioned how emergency services could allegedly inform a parent that an ambulance was unavailable when a child displayed symptoms associated with a potentially serious head injury.
"Every second counts when it comes to being in need of emergency medical services," she said.
Community activists call for answers
Alexander said the incident raised concerns about how vulnerable communities were treated when seeking essential state services.
"We are very upset because of this, its like our people are treated like outsiders when requiring state services, the majority of our people do not have transport available or money to book e-hailing services, we rely on those very services, and most of the time they don't show up for us.
"I would understand if it was a shooting and its not an innocent person, but Toheer was a child that was failed," she said.
Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siya Monakali also expressed concern, calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Toheer's death.
"No parent should have to plead for emergency medical assistance while their child is experiencing potentially life-threatening symptoms," Monakali said.
Calls for independent investigation
Monakali called on the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness to establish whether the emergency call was properly assessed, whether an ambulance could have been redirected and what alternative assistance was offered.
"Any identified failures must result in appropriate accountability and corrective action."
He said the department should review ambulance availability, staffing levels and emergency response coverage in underserved communities.
Western Cape police have registered an inquest into Toheer's death, with a post-mortem expected to determine the cause of death.
The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness said the Department is treating "this matter with seriousness, and we are engaging with the relevant teams to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident".
"We will take all necessary steps to ensure that any concerns identified are appropriately addressed. Our commitment remains to ensuring that all patients receive timely and appropriate care," their statement said.