Molefi Sompane
- ///Free State, News
Just as load shedding was suspended after weeks of rolling blackouts, patients at the Bongani Hospital in the Lejweleputswa District were either turned away or transferred to other hospitals following cable theft on Monday night. The criminal act also meant that critical procedures were put on hold while electricians worked to restore power in Thabong, Welkom. Patients left stranded Thabo Sefala was scheduled to have an X-ray yesterday morning but had to return home. “There was no power in and around the hospital, and we were told to go home while electricians were fixing the generators, he said. Selina Mokwale, a type 2 diabetic patient, was due for an operation but also had to leave. “Cable theft will cause so many deaths in Welkom. Every day, we hear of these activities, and now criminals have decided to take it to a hospital. What if the same criminal requires medical attention,
Nothing has changed for local communities within the Matjhabeng Municipality in the Free State as sewage in the form of dirty underwear, sanitary pads, and smelly nappies lie scattered next to the roads. For at least 20 years, Thabong and Phomolong in Welkom have been plagued with sewage spills. They are most noticeable outside the notorious G Hostel, where miners reside just a few meters from the municipality offices. No place to hide from sewage hell Themba Coba, a former miner from Welkom, said the sewage has been running down the streets for as long as he can remember. “The whole township is swimming in &*#@$. There are no plumbers available unless they work in town. We are badly affected by the smell and it makes our lives a living hell,” he said. Lerato Mallane, 28, runs a fruit and vegetable market said despite the sewage, it’s not easy to
Out of utter desperation, members from various Free State communities approached the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), which has since paid a three-day visit to evaluate the province’s crumbling health infrastructure. The commission has now put the ball in the Free State Department of Health’s court following their inspection. SAHRC chairperson advocate, Bongani Majola, who has never been one to mince his words about the decay in public health facilities, crossed the border last week. “There is a critical human resource shortage, including doctors, nurses, specialists, ambulance staff, and community health care workers. There is a freeze on many vacant and. funded posts. Staff shortages hurt the quality of care received by patients.The risk of mistakes increases through long waiting periods, turning away patients, low staff morale, and staff burn-out. These mistakes increase medical claims against the State. The costs of avoidable lawsuits divert funds from providing health care
Thousands of health workers in the Free State are out of jobs following the termination of their contracts post-COVID-19. Hired to help fight South Africa’s devastating COVID-19 third wave last year, their futures are in the balance more than a year later. Like other provinces, the Free State health department went on a hiring spree to boost the number of frontline workers in response to the pandemic. Their contracts were meant to end in March this year, but the Executive Council of the Free State recommended a three-month extension. Tensions boil over Recently, a group of these healthcare workers stormed into the offices of the head of the health department. They demanded that their contracts are extended. One Bloemfontein-based worker said the process was confusing from the start. “After receiving our contracts, we served the department wholeheartedly, risking our lives throughout the pandemic’s peak and now we are told we
Thousands of Free State residents are still having to deal with the harmful effects of asbestos years after the harmful substance was banned. The ban, which took effect in 2008, prohibited the use, manufacturing, and processing of asbestos in the country. But many of the residents in Botshabelo and Bloemfontein in Manguang still have it on the roofs of their houses built in the apartheid era. Anicia Mokwena, 61, has been staying in Botshabelo since 1980. Her two-bedroom house has asbestos roofing. “When we heard that the government will change our roofs, we were very happy because it makes us sick. But due to corruption by our friends and leaders, nothing has changed,” Mokwena said. The province hit the headlines when suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and a few others were charged with fraud, corruption, theft, and money laundering related to the R255 million contract for the assessment and removal
On the outskirts of Potchefstroom in the North West, members of the Kanana community have taken it upon themselves to help fight the gender-based violence (GBV) scourge. With South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, having declared GBV as South Africa’s second pandemic following COVID-19 late last year, community members from Potchefstroom – which falls within the JB Marks Municipality – have joined forces with the local municipality. They have tabled six of their interventions to help eradicate and bury the problem. On average, one in five South African women older than 18 has experienced physical violence. Thousands of women and children are psychologically harmed by GBV and suffer long-term trauma and harm to their lives. The main drivers are intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence. Gender-based violence permeates all structures of society – political, economic, and social -and is driven by entrenched patriarchy and complex and intersectional power inequalities found
Residents in the surrounding areas of Potchefstroom in the North West have had to live with little or no water for weeks. Load shedding has been identified as the most recent cause as water problems continue to plague the JB Marks Municipality. Public health facilities have also been severely impacted, with some having to shut their doors. At some clinics, patients aren’t allowed to use the toilets. It’s been a challenging year for township residents who have had to deal with intermittent water supply for most of 2022. Several issues have surfaced, including old infrastructure, water contamination, and now the theft of property and Eskom’s woes. Residents demand answers According to residents, the water cuts began last Monday without notice, and they had to find alternative water sources. Enerst Sehaole, 45, from Kanana township, said the cuts had forced him to look for water at night. “We are suffering. I
Residents of the Free State town of Parys are over the moon following the opening of a new clinic last week. This new facility will help ease the burden of overcrowding often experienced at the nearby Tumahole clinic. Free State Premier, Sisi Ntombela, cut the ribbon last Wednesday as jubilant residents looked on. Built by Sasol Mining, the R12.5 million clinic is the first of its kind in the Fezile Daba district. Mojafela Singo, 35, said he hopes the clinic boosts the morale of patients and health workers. “The clinic only needs government to hire more nurses to help speed-up services. This will prevent long queues which last for hours,” he said. Turning over a new leaf Another resident and member of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), Thapelo Lebajoa, said that the new clinic signals new life to the people. “This will encourage many of our people to utilise the
With lives at stake, members of the Botshabelo community in the Free State have joined forces with the Mangaung Service Delivery Forum (MSDF) to demand better ambulance services in the province. A letter of grievances has been sent to the Board of the Botshabelo Hospital, as well as the MEC for Health, Montseng Tsiu. The MSDF’s Thabang Motoko said there had been incidents where people have died while waiting for ambulances to arrive. ‘Left to die’ “Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are not provided in Mangaung. As black people, we are left to die. We are writing to authorities one more time before we ban ambulances in our area,” Motoko said He continued: “Why must we allow these ambulances in our townships when they fail to perform their duty? As the forum and the community, we have decided to ban them from our roads if they continue failing us.” Patient Noluthando
The mining town of Jagersfontein in the Free State is facing dry, dark days ahead without water as the situation deteriorates. It is so bad that patients take buckets of water when visiting local clinics. Water reserves have run dry in the town, and the shortages will peak in less than three months. Jagersfontein resident, Linda Ntombela, shared her experience with the water situation while visiting a clinic. “When the cuts occur, we bring along our own. Surely this is enough proof to show that life is going to become even more difficult,” she said. Without water, clinics in an impossible situation A local clinic manager, who wants to remain anonymous, confirmed that officials ask people to bring their own water. “This is better than closing down the facility due to cuts. We want to continue helping the community even when the taps are dry,” the manager explained. Mayor of
Two families in the Free State have had to find. ways to cope with their children being diagnosed with diabetes. Health-e News visited these families to find out just how challenging it is to manage this chronic condition. Tseleng Mohono, 19, lives on a farm near Winburg. She has been living with Type 1 diabetes since 2007 when her father was still alive. She stays with her older brother, Tshepo, 27 who is a farmworker. Having a child living with diabetes not only changed their lifestyles but also hit them hard financially since primary caregivers often have to stay home to look after the kid. Although insulin, needles, and test strips are available for free from public hospitals and clinics, there is often a chance of these facilities running out. This adds to the everyday stress of living with diabetes. Tshepo described how his baby sister collapsed when she was
Free State Health MEC Montseng Tsiu has resolved to investigate complaints of poor service and mistreatment of patients at the Mafube District Hospital in Frankfort. This was ahead of the official opening of the refurbished hospital on Tuesday. Premier Ntombela officially opened the newly refurbished Mafube District Hospital in Namahadi. The facility will create a pool of job opportunities for many health professionals in & around the Mafube. #provincialImbizo #halalaservicedelivery #halala #BUILDINGTHEFREESTATEWEWANT pic.twitter.com/Ifv9q9N3sD — FS Government (@fsgov) May 24, 2022 The community told Tsiu that healthcare workers are not held to account for poor service. Healthcare workers not held accountable “We are experiencing trauma as the community because all the government institutions are giving us the worst service in Frankfort. People die while waiting for ambulances at home, and clinic staff continues mistreating us,” said Serame Motheoane. He said people now think twice before going to the hospital for treatment.