Professor Salathiel Mzezewa, who is the head of plastic surgery at the Mankweng Complex in Polokwane, based his findings on 38 treatments he administered at his facility between January 2019 to August 2020.Commenting on the report, Ramathuba said: “The leading burn injuries, at 55,26%, were as a result of intimate partner-related violence. This is another indication and confirmation that Limpopo is one of those leading provinces in terms of gender-based violence .
Mzezewa said in the past 19 months, they admitted 22 male patients and 16 female patients. Twenty-one of these patients were treated for injuries sustained as a result of intimate partner violence. Mzezewa said on the second day of her admission, the victim went into premature labour and gave birth to a healthy baby.
In one of these cases, Mzezewa said he had treated a 24-year-old woman who was burnt with petrol by a traditional healer who claimed to be treating her herpes simplex. She sustained burns to 68% of her body and died on the day of admission.