A young mother gave birth to a baby boy in the street in Makhado on Tuesday, shortly after she was sent away by doctors at the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital.

Mmboneni Musingadi of Ha-Kutama Midoroni was due to give birth on October 10. Last week, the nursing staff of Tshikwarani Clinic gave her a referral letter to the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital. Her mother, Mrs Marandela Musingadi, who accompanied her, then hired a vehicle to take her daughter to the hospital. It is said that the doctor who attended to her prescribed pain killers and sent her away, because “it was not yet time for her to give birth”. About an hour later, she gave birth to a baby boy in Anderson Street, opposite the main entrance to the Makhado Correctional Centre.

According to her mother, after she left the hospital, she could not walk for long distances and had to sit down several times. Before they reached the Correctional Services, she felt bad and decided to lie down on the ground. “She told me that she was thirsty, and I went to the Correctional Centre to get some water for her,” she said. She added that when she returned with a cup of water, her daughter had already started to give birth. “I immediately took my towel, put it on the ground and waited for the baby. I was doing everything without gloves. It was very embarrassing as several people arrived to see a woman giving birth on the street,” she said.

Mirror learnt that prison warders also offered to assist Mmboneni during the birth, while others phoned for an ambulance. Warders who spoke to the newspaper on condition of anonymity expressed their shock about the incident and the treatment at the Memorial Hospital.

“Really, the Vhathu Phanda principle is not in practice at this hospital. Something needs to be done urgently at this hospital. What happened today deprives women of their integrity.”

Prison warders further indicated that, within a short period, learners were on the scene, looking on in disbelief while Mmboneni was delivering her boy. The worried Marandela said that although the baby was born on the street, he looked heathy. “Concerned people told me to lodge a complaint at the hospital, but I cannot do that, because I do not trust those health practitioners anymore,” she said.

When Mirror arrived on the scene, Mmboneni and her baby had already been taken to the Memorial Hospital. After informing the chief liaison officer of the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital, Mr Norman Kutama, about the incident, he first promised to comment after investigating the matter, but later reffered Mirror to the provincial spokesperson of the Department of Health and Social Development, Mr Phuti Seloba.

On Wednesday, Seloba confirmed to the newspaper that he was aware of the matter. “We know about the matter and we are treating the incident in a very serious light. We are currently collecting statements to conduct investigations to find out what exactly happened. This is a caring department, and we regard all our people as a priority. Definitely, drastic steps will be taken against any wrongdoers who are still choosing to neglect our patients,” he said.

* The mother and her baby were released from hospital on Wednesday afternoon, but declined to talk to Mirror or to pose for a photograph.