Several cases of cholera had been reported in the Kutama area since Christmas last year and according to concerned members of the community, at least 25 people have already passed away due to cholera related illnesses.

A resident of Madodonga village, Mr Muladelo Ramambila, told Mirror last Sunday that the Department of Health and Social Development in Limpopo is ignorant and doing nothing about the situation. “People are dying here and something must be done,” he said. Ramambila, whose granny, Mudoro Rambuwani, passed away as a result of cholera contamination, indicated that the disease started with one family and spread throughout the area. “Community members were also ignorant at first, but people kept on dying.”

According to Ramambila his granny was transferred to the hospital from the clinic last Tuesday, where she was given some medication and discharged. “Then a day after she was discharged, she passed away. Her death really shocked the family,” said Ramambila, adding that the treatment at Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital was very bad as other villagers like his granny were only given Panado tablets and discharged.

Similar cases had been reported in Zimbabwe last year, and more than 6 000 Zimbabweans lost their lives. Other community members in Vhembe also lost their lives as a result of cholera contamination.

Asked about the number of people who were admitted at the hospital including the number of cases reported, the Chief Executive Officer at Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital, Mr Godfrey Tshimauswu, confirmed that 14 cases of cholera were reported at the hospital and there are a further 34 suspected cases. “We have decided to move some of the patients to Tshilwavhusiku Health Centre, were there are beds available,” he said.

He dismissed claims that other patients from Kutama area were discharged while their conditions were still not stabilized.

During Mirror’s visit to the area on Sunday, members of the Makhado Emergency Medical Services (EMS) who worked tirelessly rushed approximately 15 affected community members to Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital.

The headman of Kutama area’s Madodonga village, Musanda Vho-Vhontanganedzeni Kutama confirmed the death of the 25 community members. “We have thirteen more people who were rushed to the hospital as they were vomiting and having running stomachs,” he said.

He appealed to the municipality to at least assist with the digging of graves for the deceased. “We also requested water tanks from the Makhado Municipality, but they are failing to provide us with any,” he said.

The people who are affected include the four members of the Rambuda family. In a document from the Madodonga tribal office in Mirror’s possession, other community members who will be laid to rest at the Madodonga graveyard tomorrow (Saturday) due to cholera contamination are Mrs Mudoro Rambuwani, Mr Piet Maphupha, Ms Martha Maluleke, Mr Mufamadi Mushasha and Lishi Miyela.

The origin of the disease in the area was still not known at the time of going to press. Community members dismissed claims that the disease stems from contaminated rivers, as there is not even a single river in the area.

When contacted for comment regarding what the Department of Health was doing to solve the problem, the spokesman for the Limpopo Department of Health and Social Development, Mr Phuthi Seloba, confirmed that there is a cholera outbreak in the Kutama area. “The department is aware of the situation and we even visited the area on Sunday. Seloba said that they were now moving towards establishing a rehydration centre at Tshilwavhusiku Health Centre. “We do realize that the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital is very small in terms of capacity, so that is why we will be using the health centre so that the people can get assistance,” he said.

According to Seloba, at the time of going to press there were about 48 new reported cases in the entire province, which included ten new cases at the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital, that were coming from the Kutama area. “We are currently having 1 802 confirmed cases across the province,” said Seloba.

Meanwhile, the Vhembe District Municipality’s Environmental Health Officials are busy conducting Cholera Awareness Campaigns in the area. According to Mr Paul Muthevhuli, the aim of the campaign is to educate community members about cholera.  

On Wednesday the municipality has announced that it will assist with the digging of graves for the deceased.