Police probe doctor’s death

Rapelang Mosae

MASERU

THE police say they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Dr Makoae Taoana last Wednesday.

Dr Taoana’s Mercedes Benz vehicle was burnt to ashes along Kofi Annan Road in Maseru.

Police spokesman Superintendent Clifford Molefe told thepost last night that “a crime happened there and a man got injured and he later died”.

“Our role now is to investigate the crime and I tell you that the police are investigating. This is the only thing I can say,” Molefe said.

The vehicle was found charred in the road in the early hours of Wednesday last week with no sign of anyone inside.

It was later discovered that the vehicle belonged and was being driven by the renowned medical doctor.

Dr Taoana is said to have survived but later died while in hospital in Bloemfontein.

At his memorial service held at the auditorium of the Ministry of Health last night, the late Dr Taoana was described as a gentle, humble and approachable character.

The speakers all agreed that his boisterous personality would indeed be missed by all those who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Chimombe, who is the son-in-law to the Taoana family having married the doctor’s sister, said before the tragic calamity he and Dr Taoana had took his car for repairs. He met the doctor on the day of the accident driving the same car.

To his shock he said he was called at around 4am by someone from Queen ’Mamohato Memorial Hospital who asked him to come to the hospital immediately.

He said when he arrived he was told to wait and was later called at around 5.25am when Dr Taona was being transferred to the ICU.

He said he was able to talk to him, but when he asked him what had happened or where the car was all he could say was that he did not know.

Chimombe said this was quite surprising because despite the burns on his body, he seemed fine.

Chimombe said Dr Taoana’s face was pitch black from the burns, he had burns on his chest, from his navel down to the legs and from his back down to his legs.

He said while he was busy checking with police stations to find out what had transpired, the family made arrangements for Dr Taoana to be transferred to Bloemfontein.

He said due to his frightening injuries he was allowed to cross into South Africa without a passport.

At around 6pm on Thursday, Chimombe said he got a call from Taoana’s brother, Metsing, who told him that Dr. Taoana had passed away in Bloemfontein.

Motlatsi Ramafole who spoke on behalf of the Maseru Golf Club said Dr Taoana was an avid golfer who always offered advice to young golfers.

He said Dr Taoana had his own spot at the golf club, where he would sit and enjoy drinks while sharing jokes with other members of the club.

Ramafole said he was very generous as he would always offer to buy drinks for the other members.

Ramafole said he will miss him as he also acted as his family doctor who even provided his medical services while at the golf course.

He further said Dr Taoana was an inspiration to all golfers there.

The Medical Association and medical council said losing Dr Taoana was a big blow in a country where doctors are very few.

Dr Charles Moji on behalf of the Medical Council said they never got complaints about him and he always paid his subscriptions on time.

The Managing Director of Metropolitan, Nkau Matete, said Dr Taoana was their doctor on site at Metropolitan and read messages from Metropolitan employees who all remembered him fondly.

He said Dr Taoana hated inconvenience so much that he marked the parking spots at Metropolitan personally because some employees were in the habit of parking in his self-designated spot.

The director of Health Services Dr ’Nyane Letsie and other doctors recited the Hippocratic oath which all doctors take when assuming office, the doctors recited it to mark the end  of his duties as a doctor.

King Letsie III said he feels cheated to have not known Dr Taoaana on a personal level, he said indeed his death came at a time when the country is in dire need of doctors, and as such his death is truly a great loss to the nation at large.

The general consensus was that his life was indeed a life well lived.

Dr Taoana began his high school at the then Basutoland High School in 1958, he completed his last three years of schooling in the United Kingdom.

He lived in Germany for almost 20 years, first as a medical student and then as a medical practitioner in various capacities.

He returned to Lesotho in 1985 and was appointed as Head of Paediatrics at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, a position he occupied until 1986.

From 1989 until his passing, he ran his own medical practice offering services in the form of general medicine, Rheumatology and Sports Medicine.

Dr Taoana is survived by his wife, Teboho, his two sons, Kokolia and Monyane, his granddaughter Lintle and seven siblings.

He will be laid to rest in Maseru on Saturday. His funeral service will be held at Machabeng College at 9am.