The family of a man who was filmed with maggots wriggling inside his mouth are suing the hospital after the clip went viral.
Abdul Ebrahim, 52, suffered a stroke in 2014 which left him immobile and unable to speak.
He returned to hospital in May after suffering a leg injury.
Abdul had been left unattended in his room when his son Azaad discovered the maggots.
Azaad had been told his father's hygienic needs were being cared for and he assumed this included brushing his father's teeth.
He made the distressing discovery after noticing his dad's upper lip looked swollen.
When he took a closer look he found scores of maggots crawling underneath.
"Maggots were crawling and so active and moving. I lost my mind. I screamed.," he said.
"I couldn't believe that no one attended to him. The first thing anyone does in the morning is brush their teeth."
Abdul has since died from natural causes.
Azaad told Times Live that he lost his temper at the sight of maggots squirming in his father's mouth.
He explained the family decided to purse legal action against RK Khan Hospital in south Durban of east South Africa, because he did not want anyone else to go through what his father went through.
Theasen Pillay, who represents the family, confirmed that they were formalising a 'general damages claim' against the hospital and the KwaZulu-Natal department of health.
Pillay said: "It is a general damages claim for the suffering and trauma caused to the family of the patient.
"A summons will be issued but we have to give 30 days' notice before that."
Dr Prakash Subban, the chief executive of the hospital, has been temporarily redeployed and would now assist with the management of Saint Aidan's Hospital, which provides specialised urology and renal care, among other services, according to local news media.
His post will be replaced with Nqobile Mkhwanazi, the CEO of Queen Nandi Memorial Hospital in Empangeni, from Monday.
