Two babies killed in Malamulele bakkie crash

Two babies died after the small bakkie they were travelling in overturned in Malamulele on Christmas Eve. Two babies died after the small bakkie they were travelling in overturned in Malamulele on Christmas Eve.
Image: STOCK IMAGE

Two babies were killed in a car accident in Malamulele outside Giyani, Limpopo police said on Thursday.

One of the children was a month old while the other was five months old, said Brig Motlafela Mojapelo.

The accident happened on a gravel road on Christmas eve.

“A learner driver of a Ford Bantam, transporting 12 passengers including the two babies, with lots of groceries, allegedly lost control of the vehicle and it overturned, instantly killing one of the babies,” said Mojapelo.

“The other one later succumbed to the injuries in hospital.”

The other bakkie occupants, including the driver, were transported to hospital for medical care.

Mojapelo said police were investigating a case of culpable homicide.

Husband mourns death of wife, unborn child while awaiting ambulance


A Limpopo man is distraught after the death of his pregnant wife and unborn baby, allegedly after the Philadelphia hospital in Moutse failed to transfer her to the Polokwane hospital for a caesarean delivery.

Mashego Makhura, eyes brimming with tears, said his wife died after spending more than 24 hours at the hospital waiting for an ambulance that did not arrive.

When Maria Phora, 42, experienced labour pains, she was rushed to Philadelphia hospital more than 10km from their home in Mpheleng village on Sunday afternoon, December 22.The 32-week pregnant woman was taken to a maternity ward where she was examined.

“They told me they are waiting for an ambulance to transfer her to Polokwane hospital where she will be assisted to give birth through caesarean operation. They told me the baby didn’t position properly and she cannot give natural birth. As a result my wife must give birth through operation,” said Makhura, 45,They told me to go home and provided me with the street address of the hospital and told me to visit her (on Monday).

“To my surprise on Monday, I visited the hospital on my way to Polokwane. My wife was still at Philadelphia hospital in pain,” Makhura said.

He was told by a doctor that they were still waiting for an ambulance to transfer her to Polokwane hospital.

In the early hours of Tuesday, he received a call asking him to come to the hospital urgently.

“I was shocked to be told my wife and unborn child passed away.

“I was deeply hurt. They told me their hospital is level two and cannot perform an operation.”

At his house at Mpheleng village, near Groblersdal, with his daughter and two sons, aged seven and 22, Makhura sat folding away the clothes his wife, a domestic worker, had bought for the baby. He is unemployed. The couple married in April this year.

He is devastated and wants answers.

“What happened hurt me so much that, together with my kids, we are struggling to sleep at night.”

Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba has sent a team to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Phora and her baby.

The department said in a statement, “While the hospital has provided a report on the case, the MEC believes there are still questions which need to be answered. Among other things, the investigations must assist in providing the reasons why the woman died while awaiting an ambulance to Polokwane, meanwhile, her case could have been resolved in the hospital.”

Xhosa 2021 traditional dresses

beautiful printed or embroidered fabrics. Elaborate beaded necklaces called ithumbu are worn around the neck, as well as beaded bracelets and anklets. The iqhiya or headscarf is traditionally worn by married women. To complete the ensemble, embroidered capes or blankets are worn around the shoulders.

Xhosa men traditionally filled the roles of warrior, hunter and stockman and as such, animal skin formed an important part of their traditional wear. On special occasions embroidered skirts are worn with a rectangular cloth over the left shoulder, or a tunic and strands of beaded necklaces.