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FLAS NURSE FILES 3RD COMPENSATION CLAIM IN 12YRS

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MBABANE – A nurse-in-charge at the Family Life Association of Swaziland (FLAS) has claimed workmen’s compensation for three separate accidents over a period of 12 years.


This happened between 1995 and 2006. Janet Khumalo is now claiming E302 439.02 for an accident which is alleged to have happened while she was at work in 2006.


Workmen’s compensation is an insurance policy that allows employers to award payouts to employees who get injured in the line of duty.
FLAS pays workmen’s compensation through a policy managed by the Swaziland Royal Insurance Corporation (SRIC). SRIC, according to court papers, had the duty to ensure claims were valid as well as due and payable.


For the first two accidents she was paid E58 028.40 in May 2008 and E54 518.40 in June 2008.
The third claim is a subject of the current court case.


Although Khumalo received payouts for the first and second accidents, she stated in an affidavit that she was not paid for the 2006 accident.
Dumisani Dlamini, the Assistant General Manager of SRIC said Khumalo’s claims had anomalies.
Dlamini wants the court to dismiss Khumalo’s application.


He said the second claim should never have been paid because an assessment done on her after the accident showed that she had not suffered any disability.


Dlamini said if the doctor had been reminded of the first assessment, he would not have made the assessment of the 40 per cent disability in 2007.
He said despite that Khumalo was involved in an accident in 1995, she only went for medical assessment 11 years later. A medical assessment report is essential for the insurance company to determine the extent of the disability caused by an accident.
Dlamini said Khumalo had submitted three separate claims.


He said the first claim was related to an injury which was incurred in a motor vehicle accident during Khumalo’s course of employment in 1995.
He said she was treated for the accident by a certain Dr Mathunjwa at the Mbabane Government Hospital.


“Having assessed the applicant, Dr Mathunjwa certified that the applicant had suffered no disability arising from the motor vehicle accident,” said Dlamini. He said in 2002, Khumalo was involved in another motor vehicle accident. “Other than the fact that this was a motor vehicle accident, the details of this accident appear sketchy,” said Dlamini.

He also said the employer, being FLAS, was not informed of the accident despite that Khumalo should have done so within a period of six months.
The third accident is said to have taken place on October 6, 2006 according to Dlamini. Khumalo is alleged to have fallen from the stairs at her place of employment. Dlamini said Khumalo only went for medical assessment nine months later.
The veracity of Dlamini’s statements is yet to be contested in court.

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