South Africa investigates girl's leg amputation mix-up

South African health authorities are investigating how a two-year-old girl who burnt her arms instead had her legs amputated in hospital.

Gauteng provincial minister Gedani Mahlangu set up a task-team on Monday.

Thembisa Kometsi was admitted into a Johannesburg hospital, where officials say her legs were amputated because they had gangrene.

An opposition party has described the incident as a "maiming" and is calling for an independent investigation.

Ms Mahlangu's spokesperson Mandla Sidu told the BBC that his department held a meeting on Monday with officials from both the Far East Rand Hospital where Thembisa was first admitted with burn wounds and from Charlotte Maxeke hospital, where she was transferred.

Mr Sidu says the provincial minister learnt of the incident from media reports and subsequently received a letter from the Kometsi family, demanding action from the Gauteng authorities.

'Maimed'

"Ms Mahlangu visited the family on Friday where they voiced their concerns," said Mr Sidu.

"A task-team been has now been set up to get to the bottom of the matter. We are expecting a report in seven days."

Opposition Democratic Alliance health spokesperson Jack Bloom welcomed the move to "demand answers from hospital staff" but said an independent investigation was needed to establish the facts.