KHOPOTSO: In a small office at the Mofolo Hosipce, in Soweto, Edith Khumalo, a retired social worker, is on the telephone.

EDITH KHUMALO: Er, to whom am I speaking to now’€¦? Er, Thulani’€¦? Ukhuluma no Mam maKhumalo, isocial worker la eHospice’€¦      

KHOPOTSO: The nine-bed Mofolo Hospice is full to capacity. maKhumalo is speaking to another hospice to transfer a patient they’€™ve just received. By her own admission, at age 71, she’€™s just too old to continue working. But, she says, she keeps at it.

EDITH KHUMALO: In fact, I’€™ve worked at (Chris Hani) Baragwanath as a social worker for 28 years. And when I retired in 1996, I thought, ‘€˜I’€™ve just had it’€™. I didn’€™t want just to stay at home, but as far as social work is concerned, I didn’€™t want to do anything because I was enslaved there. And then, at the end of the day my salary used to make my heart bleed, knowing how much effort I’€™m putting (in)to my work. Since I started here, we are working very hard. But the incentive is there because even the relatives of the patients’€¦ even if their family members passed away, they can still come back and thank us and say ‘€˜you know, you did a very good job’€™. Yet, there at Bara, we were just slaves having to push and push and push. Here, the appreciation is good.                

KHOPOTSO: Unlike in hospitals, at hospice patients are looked at holistically, including taking care of their social needs. As a result, every new patient that is admitted has to be seen by a social worker. maKhumalo is the only social worker at Mofolo Hospice.

EDITH KHUMALO: I’€™m working in the in-patient unit. Whenever a patient is admitted, I have to see the patient. I have to see the family. I have to assess the home situation. I have to know how the organogram stands’€¦ who has a relationship with who and all that. And this sort of guides me as to’€¦ what to do next and if I’€™m having problems whom to contact.

KHOPOTSO: She’€™s clearly very enthusiastic about the service she provides.

EDITH KHUMALO: I’€™m supposed to start at 08h00, but the way this work is fulfilling I’€™m usually in my office before 07h30. If I’€™m late, it’€™s 07h30, but never at 08h00 because I feel such satisfaction in what I’€™m doing that there is nothing like when you wake up then you feel like, ‘€˜oh, Gosh, oh, I have to wake up. I have to go to work’€™. No.

KHOPOTSO: maKhumalo has now been at the Mofolo Hospice for a little over four years after the centre manager recruited her. She says she will leave the hospice before she bends at the back. Sister Johanna Seabela is another golden oldie that’€™s volunteering at the hospice.

SISTER JOHANNA SEABELA: Physically, I found myself still very fit and healthy. So, I thought there’€™s a purpose for that’€¦ God gave me that moment of being healthy and physically able so that I should do something. So, I decided to contribute to the hospice my last days of life.

KHOPOTSO: The sixty-two year old was a mid-wife at Mofolo Clinic, on the same grounds the hospice is situated before she retired more than two years ago. Patients admitted to the hospice have terminal illnesses, and over 90% of them have AIDS. I asked mma Seabela how it compares to work in this new environment, given her previous background.

SISTER JOHANNA SEABELA: Mid-wifery is more hectic than hospice. Hospice is hectic because it involves your emotions. And yet, mid-wifery section is emotions and physical. But at the end of it you are always happy because you get good results’€¦ (you) give life’€¦ which is an opposite at hospice. So, actually, it affects you spiritually, mentally, emotionally.

KHOPOTSO: But regardless, mma Seabela continues to offer the care two years later. She says even nursing those who are on the brink of death offers a great deal of satisfaction.  

SISTER JOHANNA SEABELA: Yes, actually to give them that last days’€™ comfort, to relieve them from the suffering, most of the time, the pain. We try to give them comfort and to be pain-free as much as possible, so that if that time comes they must get a decent pass-over.

KHOPOTSO: As volunteers, mma Seabela and maKhumalo receive stipends to see them through.