The death of their groom's four-year-old son was caused by neglect on the part of health officials who should be relieved of their duties. So says well-known Randjesfontein resident and musical director of a local church, Hester Stevenson.

Mihla Ndlovu was diagnosed with tuberculosis and admitted to Tembisa Hospital in September last year. He was again declared well enough to be discharged, and was given tablets to take. "He just did not get any better, kept on vomiting and was taken back to Tembisa only to be discharged again," Stevenson told Midrand Reporter.

"On March 16, my son-in-law took Mihla to Tembisa Hospital again - but they did not want to admit him and told us to take him to a clinic in Midrand." At the clinic Stevenson was told Mihla was not sick enough for hospital and was sent away again. "The tablets given to treat his TB did not stay down and he could not eat or drink," said Stevenson.

"In desperation we called an ambulance on March 23 and he was taken straight to Tembisa. He was so dehydrated they had to put him on a drip - too late, as he died 3 days later. "He was just skin and bone," said Stevenson. "He looked like a child of two."

Stevenson is adamant that Mihla could still have been alive if he received immediate attention from health officials. "I would like to make sure that this callous treatment is never handed out to any child again. Both the clinic and Tembisa Hospital ignored a dying child and ought to be ashamed of themselves. Those in charge ought to be relieved of their duties."

• Tembisa Hospital PRO, Lesiba Ledwana failed to respond to Midrand Reporters queries