Tshegofatso Molamo has spent more than a decade trying to understand why she lost her ability to walk after medical complications during childbirth in May 2012. She says doctors at two hospitals in the province have been unable to provide her with an explanation about what went wrong during labour.  But her mother, Anna says getting her daughter the healthcare she needs now is the family’s biggest concern. The family says home-based healthcare visits stopped without explanation in December last year. Tshegofatso, who cannot sit or walk and who survives on social grants, says she is unable to travel to a health facility without assistance.  “Ever since I’ve been bedridden, and unable to sit or walk, my life has been miserable.“ The Limpopo Health Department has meanwhile acknowledged that Tshegofatso’s medical records cannot be found, and they are unable to follow-up on the issue of home-based care until her file can be located. The provincial department also told Health-e News that they are unable to assist Tshegofatso with transport. Her mother, Anna says the family has been struggling to provide the care at home that Tshegofatso needs.  “Tshegofatso’s life has been painful for her and the rest of the family,” says Anna.  “I had to quit my job after she was discharged from Mankweng so that I can take care of her on a fulltime basis. As a family that survives on her R2 338 disability grant and child support grant for her daughter, we’re unable to take her to a specialist.”  Tshegofatso says her condition has also left her dependent on her family for her daily care. “I’m having to rely on my mother to change my diapers.”  Years without answers Tshegofatso says she lost her mobility during childbirth in 2012 but doctors never explained to her why. According to Tshegofatso, she was unconscious at her home on 30 May 2012 when neighbours called for an ambulance to be dispatched to her home at Mogaung village in the Sekhukhune district of Limpopo. She was rushed to Philadelphia Hospital more than 60 kilometres away where her baby was delivered through caesarean section. Tshegofatso says because she arrived at hospital by herself, unconscious and unable to speak, her file was opened as “unknown patient”. She says after her baby was born,  she was transferred to Mankweng Tertiary Hospital in Polokwane, more than 180 kilometers away from home. According to Tshegofatso she stayed at the health facility for six months.  She says medical staff could not determine at the time what caused her immobility and she was sent home in November 2012 without an explanation. “Although I have no vivid recollection of some events during childbirth at Philadelphia Hospital and the subsequent transfer to Mankweng, I remember asking a doctor why I can’t move. The doctor told me that there were serious complications during childbirth but never explained further. I was so devastated. I can’t remember how I reached home after being discharged,” she says.  Anna says since 2012 to date, her daughter also traveled to St. Ritas District Hospital – about 30 kilometers from their village – and Witbank Provincial Hospital in Mpumalanga – more than 150 kilometers from their village – in an attempt to find out what caused her immobility and to get medical assistance. But the family claims both healthcare facilities refused to admit her because her medical file from Mankweng Hospital could not be tracked down.  Homebased care stopped Anna says over the years, a homebased caregiver used to visit Tshegofatso at home, but she stopped coming in December and they were not informed why.  “The caregiver used to bring some pills but she hasn’t visited us in a while,” says Anna.  Community leader, Lucas Sefoka who is also a neighbour, says after they realised that the family was unable to access any healthcare service, he appealed to the community for help. “The family should not be left to manage a severely disabled and bedridden patient without adequate professional support.” Sefoka says community members donated adult diapers, cosmetics, groceries, and other basic goods for Tshegofatso. But he says this is not a sustainable solution for Tshegofatso and her family.  Limpopo Health Department can’t locate medical file Limpopo Health Department spokesperson Neil Shikwambana says the absence of Tshegofatso’s previous hospital file should not prevent her from receiving care. “The absence of a previous hospital file should not prevent a patient from receiving appropriate medical assessment and care. The patient can be clinically assessed based on her current condition, while efforts are made to retrieve or reconstruct any previous medical information that may be necessary to support continuity of care.” But getting to a health facility remains the problem for Tshegofatso, who is dependent on her family because of her immobility. Shikwambana says departmental transport is limited. “Transport is mostly meant to serve people who are considered critical emergencies and inter-facility transfers.” Tshegofatso says after years of trying to get answers about what caused her disability, she now wants the Health Department to help her access the medical care she needs. Author Moyahabo Mabeba Moyahabo Mabeba is an all-round reporter whose journalism career spans almost three decades. He has worked for several national publications and is a former editor of The Journal newspaper. His reporting has a strong human-interest focus, particularly on the experiences of vulnerable communities. A softball fanatic, he also works in marketing and publicity in sporting circles. View all posts

MAHIKENG – Pregnant women using Ramatlabama Health Centre outside Mahikeng in the North West Province, say they have been unable to get antenatal supplements from the clinic for months and instead have been advised to buy supplements privately from pharmacies.  The healthcare facility serves more than 2,000 residents in the surrounding rural community. One expectant mother, Dimakatso* had her pregnancy confirmed at the clinic in June and when she returned in July, was given one pack of folic acid and ARVs. When she went back in August she was told there were no supplements available. “They wrote it on a maternity book and said to me I must go buy pills at Clicks or a pharmacy.” “Where will I get the money? Those things are expensive.” Community healthcare workers in the area are concerned that the stockout could lead to health complications for both mothers and their unborn babies if not addressed urgently. “I didn’t buy them the first month after booking at the facility. I am waiting for next month when they say maybe stock will come,” said another pregnant woman in her first trimester. “I am scared for my baby. What will happen if the pills are not supplied again?” Why antenatal supplements matter South Africa’s primary healthcare guidelines recommend iron, calcium and folic acid supplements as part of antenatal care.  The guidelines state that iron can help prevent anaemia — low levels of healthy red blood cells. Calcium can help prevent pre-eclampsia — a pregnancy complication involving high blood pressure — while folic acid taken before conception and during early pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects affecting the development of the baby’s brain and spinal cord. A 2021 review of South African research found that anaemia affected between 29% and 42.7% of pregnant women in the studies examined. Health-e News found that at private pharmacies, a month’s supply of iron supplements costs about R160, while 30 calcium tablets cost around R120. Several unemployed mothers in Ramatlabama village told Health-e News they cannot afford these prices. Worry about potential health risks For pregnant women like Lebogang Mosiane, a 32-year-old in her first trimester, the wait for supplements is not just inconvenient — it causes worry about potential health risks. Healthcare workers at the clinic say without daily iron and calcium, the women face a higher chance of complications for themselves and their unborn children.  “Most of us are not working. We are depending on either a child support grant which is R580 or the SDR [Social Distress Relief grant] of R370. That R580 is for child food and needs, not for pills that I should get free at the clinic. Some are first time mothers like me. Why should I buy something which I should be getting for free,” said Mosiane.   Ramatlabama clinic staff, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed they have been experiencing antenatal supplements stockouts for months since May this year. “The issue has been reported to the sub-district,” said one healthcare worker.   Department acknowledges supply problems When asked for comment, North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, acknowledged that the province was experiencing intermittent supply constraints affecting certain medicines and facilities.  “The department is closely monitoring the situation and implementing interventions at both provincial and national level to minimise disruptions to patient care. The department has also sought to reassure patients, healthcare workers and communities that efforts are underway to address the shortages and improve medicine availability,” Lekgethwane said. Lekgethwane says the shortages cannot be attributed to a single factor or solely to the operations of the North West Department of Health. According to Lekgethwane, wider disruptions affect parts of South Africa’s pharmaceutical supply chain.  NW pharmaceutical services under internal intervention Last year the North West Department of Health issued a media statement assuring patients and communities of a stable supply of medicines. It noted that pharmaceutical services in the province were placed under internal intervention in November 2023 following a system crash of the stock inventory management system at the provincial medicines depot. Since then, changes have been made in the Provincial Pharmaceutical Management system with the aim of improving pharmaceutical service delivery and overall medicine availability.  Community health workers in Ramatlabama who spoke to Health-e News said government must urgently address supply chain issues at primary healthcare level, where most women access antenatal care. They say many women are now going months without supplements because they cannot afford them.  “If we are serious about reducing maternal deaths and giving babies a healthy start, clinics cannot run out of basic, life-saving supplements like iron,” said one community health worker in the area.   *Not her real name. Author Bakang Ditibane Bakang Ditibane is a communications professional and community journalist based in Mahikeng, North West. He has four years’ experience in communications and media relations, and two years’ experience reporting on health, public systems and their impact on communities. View all posts

The old mine dumps surrounding Slovo Park in Springs on Gauteng’s East Rand are difficult to miss. Three of the mine dumps rise high behind people’s homes, forming part of the landscape of the small community between Bakerton and Welgedacht. Residents say dust from the dumps blows into their homes on windy days. But people in Slovo Park and neighbouring areas are also concerned about a strong, unpleasant smell that regularly settles over parts of Springs. Their concerns come as the City of Ekurhuleni confirms that its Springs air-quality monitoring station is currently not reporting to the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS). The City says the station last consistently produced reliable, validated data in July 2026. Essential technical maintenance and calibration have not been done because a specialist service provider is required. The City says it is still going through a procurement process to appoint one. Living next to old mine dumps Some Slovo Park residents who spoke to Health-e News did not know that the “mountains” they have lived alongside for years are old mine dumps. Sarah Nkabinde lives close to one of them. When Health-e News visited her home, she was coughing. She says her chest was sore, although she had not been to a clinic and does not know what is causing it. Although there is no medical evidence linking Nkabinde’s chest problems to dust from the mine dumps, residents say the dust affects their breathing and forces them to close their windows and doors on windy days. Another resident, Sara Koto, also closes her windows and doors when the dust becomes bad. She does not experience the same health problems as Nkabinde, but says keeping the windows closed is one way of stopping the dust from getting inside her home. Ekurhuleni’s own Air Quality Management Plan identifies operational and abandoned mine dumps as major sources of dust pollution. The plan specifically identifies mining areas east and south of Springs. The City says it has not received complaints from Slovo Park residents about dust from the mine dumps. Asked whether an assessment had been conducted to determine the impact of the dust on nearby residential areas, the City responded: “Not known.” A smell residents cannot escape Residents in Slovo Park and neighbouring Bakerton also describe a strong smell that comes and goes. Some notice it particularly in the mornings and afternoons, while others say it becomes noticeable when it is very hot or after rain. Tebogo Mokgoane drives through the area every morning on his way to work. He describes it as an acid or chemical-like smell. Gugu Mhlambi, who lives in neighbouring Bakerton, describes it differently. “It smells like sewage,” she says. “Usually it’s in the mornings. You can smell it even inside the house.” Ward councillor Charmaine Kock says she has not received complaints specifically about mine-dump dust, but has received complaints about air quality from Springs residents more broadly. Kock, who lives in Petersfield, says she also experiences the smell, which she describes as similar to urine. “You will wake up in the morning with a headache,” she says. The City says local assessments indicate that odours noticed when easterly winds prevail are primarily associated with organic decomposition and chemical processes in regional wetlands. It says environmental teams are monitoring affected wetlands. However, a separate pollution episode earlier this year was linked to hydrogen sulphide. In March, the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment recorded elevated hydrogen sulphide levels at Springs and other Gauteng monitoring stations. The department said the levels were likely responsible for complaints about a strong sulphurous smell at the time. It said exposure to hydrogen sulphide can irritate the eyes and respiratory system and may cause headaches, nausea and breathing difficulties. Springs monitoring station not reporting Kock provided Health-e News with a council motion raising concerns about Ekurhuleni’s faulty air-quality monitoring system and calling for all 10 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations across the municipality to be restored. These stations measure pollutants in the air, including tiny particles of dust and smoke that can be breathed deep into the lungs, as well as gases released by vehicles and industrial activities. The City has confirmed that the Springs monitoring station is not currently reporting to the  South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) because essential maintenance and calibration have not been completed. The last consistently reliable data from the station was recorded in July 2026.  The publicly accessible ⁠Springs air-quality dashboard also displays its last update as 30 July 2026. The last available readings from 30 July show PM2.5 at 120 and PM10 at 132 on the AQICN scale, both classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups”. Some readings over the preceding two days reached the “unhealthy” range. According to AQICN’s classifications, the readings recorded in Springs mean air pollution may pose greater risks to people with respiratory conditions, children and older people. The City says two lower-cost air-quality sensors have been deployed in nearby KwaThema and Daveyton East to help assess regional pollution risks while the Springs station is unavailable. The City also says industries in the Springs region regulated under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act are subject to ongoing compliance monitoring and currently operate within prescribed minimum emission standards. City promises to restore monitoring The City says it does not conduct standalone epidemiological risk studies for individual neighbourhoods such as Slovo Park. Spokesperson Zweli Dlamini says instead, it assesses health risks through broader regional air-quality monitoring. According to Damini, the City also uses data from its ambient monitoring network together with municipal environmental health practitioners to identify exposure risks. Dlamini says the City of Ekurhuleni has allocated funding for the maintenance and technical upkeep of its air-quality monitoring network. Procurement is underway to appoint specialist service providers to carry out the calibration needed to restore the Springs station. But Dlamini has not provided a date for when the station will resume reporting. For Nkabinde, the mine dust remains part of daily life

Over two years, Plant Play has reached 542 children aged between 10 and 15 in Diepsloot, Gauteng, one of the thirty gender-based violent hotspot areas in South Africa. These areas were identified by the South African Police Service based on reported crime data including rape, domestic violence, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, kidnapping, and human trafficking. Identifying a perpetrator tells us who. It does not tell us why. Asking this question ‘why’ forces us to pay attention to the early years in a child’s life, while they are forming their sense of self and learning how to treat others. Children live in the same world we do. They see what we see and hear what we hear. Repeated exposure to violence, abuse, and crime results in children living with chronic stress and fear. Childhood and adolescence are critical periods in which cognitive and social-emotional skills are still developing. Trauma can disrupt this growth, affecting judgement, impulse control and the ability to understand consequences. If left unresolved, the suppression of these emotions can resurface in adulthood through violence, disengagement, self-harm or harm to others. Words become conversations that become actions. Support exists, but seeking it often means being associated with terms such as abused, suicidal, mentally unwell or depressed. For both adults and children, the stigma attached to these words can discourage seeking help for fear of being seen as less normal, less capable or someone to be feared. If people do not ask for help, how are their mental health needs recognised? A Simple Flower What if every child were given the freedom to play and grow, not as a luxury, but as a right? It’s mid-morning, and we are all sitting under the tree for shade. It’s a beautiful sunny day in Diepsloot and we are having “circle”. “Circle” are small groups where we share the best and bravest moments we experience during Plant Play. Plant Play, a structured psychosocial programme by Human Nature Africa, uses environmental education through the care of a non-food flower to help children explore their feelings and build identity. The simplicity of a flower is intentional. Nature provides a safe focus to gain confidence in their abilities and creates space for children to explore their emotions alongside challenges and celebrations. It gives them tangible evidence that their actions matter. Conversations that happen in “circle” A 14-year-old boy said he cannot sleep because he does not know what will happen at night. He knows people commit crimes because they want money and will take what they can. He says he knows poverty. “Even if there is only one loaf of bread, I don’t take the bread. I accept that it’s tough. If I take that bread, what would my mother and even my little brother eat? A boy, sitting next to a young girl, speaks about rape. “It just becomes one of those cases. Even when someone says: ‘I was raped’, people would point her out in public and say, ah, it’s that one. She is only 13 and exposed to such things. I don’t think that should be normal. Even when someone gets killed. The problem is normalising things that shouldn’t be normal.” When asked why they think people hurt others, a boy answers: “I think it’s because they experienced it. Growing up or now. They want to reduce the pain of what happened to them.” Growing a flower establishes a different social norm: boys and girls are equally capable, equally valued and equally responsible for how they treat themselves and others. As they learn to nurture their plant, they also begin to recognise their own capacity to care and connect. Preventing Violence The 2025 Plant Play pilot provided preliminary results of developmental benefits that may contribute to reducing aggression and preventing violence among young people. The research conducted amongst 256 participants provided evidence of improved emotional regulation and coping skills, together with increased empathy, patience, responsibility and constructive responses to setbacks. Over 14 weeks, the proportion of children reporting feeling calmer and better able to regulate their own emotions more than doubled from 35% to 73%. Plant Play’s reported gains in emotional self-regulation offers an intervention that strengthens emotional capacities. It provides a significant opportunity for case identification and referral to appropriate support and has the potential to prevent aggression and violence. Learning to cope with grief A 12-year-old had lost her twin brother in a traumatic accident. She described years of anger and withdrawal, avoiding others because she did not want pity. Caring for her plant helped to rebuild her relationship with her mother. It gave them something to talk about when talking about the loss was difficult. She returned the following year as a volunteer Plant Play mentor. “I think it’s so awesome. I will teach them how I was taught last year, and then we all learn the same thing. We will treat each other with respect and hope. “That plant changed my life.” Author Zonja Penzhorn Zonja Penzhorn is the founder and CEO of Human Nature Africa. Her work focuses on prevention at the intersection of human behaviour, addressing gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV and mental health. View all posts

64-year-old Josephine Nyama says when she received a call from neighbours at 6am on New Year’s Day, she heard the shocking news that her brother had been found dead on live wires used for illegal electricity connections in Meriting, Lenasia South, in Gauteng.  “I was shaking, I lost my thinking for a second,” she says. “I asked my daughter and other family members to go and identify if it was him.” Her daughter returned and confirmed it was her brother, Steven Nyama, who was 67 at the time of his death. A mere four months later, in May this year, Nyama’s three-year-old granddaughter was also electrocuted while playing with friends at a neighbour’s house.  The child touched a fence that was in contact with a live wire from an illegal electricity connection. Neighbours managed to pull her away. “Luckily neighbours were able to rush and remove her from the fence, I almost lost her as well,” Nyama says. Nine deaths reported this year Nyama says her brother’s death has affected her mental health. “After losing my brother I was never the same. I survived on alcohol almost every day to numb the pain. My brother was my support system. We were close and looked after each other. My family is incomplete.” Meriting Phase 2, an extension of phase 1, is an informal settlement that has been without electricity since it was established in 2017. Some residents connected illegally to the electricity network in Phase 1. Residents told Health-e News they pay between R250 and R300 a month for the illegal connections, locally known as izinyoka.  Nyama says residents resort to these measures because living without electricity comes at a high cost. She says candles, paraffin and gas are expensive for households already struggling financially. Community leader Tibi Kotedi says electrocutions linked to illegal power connections have claimed nine lives this year alone, including five children between the ages of three and ten. Health-e News could not independently verify the figures. Local police in nearby Ennerdale and Lenasia told Health-e News they do not record individual incidents by cause of deaths.  Kotedi says residents who turned to illegal connections hoped it would be a temporary solution.  “The illegal connections were not supposed to last this long. It has become our killer. The community is scared of its own temporary solution,” he says. He says residents have been promised electricity under different political administrations, but the settlement has remained without a formal supply for almost a decade. Families mourn children Mahlatse* told Health-e News her six-year-old daughter died after coming into contact with an illegal electricity connection in February 2026. According to Mahlatse* her child had just returned from school and changed out of her uniform when a friend came to fetch her to play nearby. “In less than ten minutes I heard neighbours calling me. When I went out, my daughter was laying on the ground lifeless a few houses from ours. She was electrocuted by an illegal connection,” she says. “My house is empty, quiet and lonely. I miss her every day.” Another resident, Ntwaki Molefe, lost her 16-year-old son four years ago. She says he was electrocuted near a railway field while going to relieve himself because there was no toilet at home. “How many more children should die before government sees that we have a crisis in Meriting?” City Power explains delays In September, hundreds of residents from Meriting Phase 2 took part in a protest demanding formal electricity connections.  City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena has acknowledged that residents of Meriting Phase 2 are illegally connecting to the existing electricity network. Mangena says while residents are demanding formal electricity supply, the process cannot begin immediately. According to Mangena, the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Human Settlements must first determine the status of the land and whether the settlement qualifies for the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme. He says the area must then be planned and prepared for basic services before City Power can design and install electricity infrastructure. City Power warned that illegal connections pose safety risks to residents and the electricity network. Residents demand action after elections Puseletso Nzimande, the Ward 120 councillor who is contesting the local elections in Meriting, says she has begun engaging with the Department of Human Settlements and community representatives about service delivery.  She says she has also requested solar high-mast lighting from City Power because residents feel unsafe.  The current ward councillor and the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Human Settlements did not respond to Health-e News’ questions. Nyama says electricity is now the most important service she wants from the next political administration. “I no longer care about having toilets or running water. After the November 2026 election, I want electricity for Meriting Phase 2.” *Not her real name Author Lerato Kodisang Lerato Kodisang is a journalist with experience engaging communities through civil society and local platforms at district and provincial level. She is passionate about health and people-centred reporting that centres lived experiences and gives voice to issues that matter to communities. View all posts