IN TEARS, Livhuwani Nethamba shared the nightmare she experienced at Lillian Ngoyi Clinic in Soweto with Daily Sun.
The 37-year-old woman said when she took a taxi to the clinic to have her baby, she had no idea that she’d be forced to deliver her baby by herself in the clinic’s waiting area.
She claims she was also told to pay R500 for help, and was punched in the stomach with a fist by a night nurse after she had given birth.
Livhuwani from Phumla Mqashi squatter camp, south of Joburg, said she rushed to the clinic on Thursday, 8 September.
She said the nurses told her that she was still far from delivery and wanted to discharge her, but she asked not to be discharged.
Then the night-duty staff arrived.
“The night nurses were angry that I refused to be discharged,” she said.
“They told me that I was still far from giving birth, even though I was in pain.”
Livhuwani was allegedly kept in the waiting area without any help. Livhuwani’s water broke at about midnight, and she said there were three nurses on duty.
“I walked towards them, leaning against the wall and told them my water had broken.
“They accused me of thinking highly of myself and referred to me as a gogo.
“One of the nurses told me to put R500 on the table if I needed their help.
“I begged for their help and asked for forgiveness for refusing to be discharged.
“I didn’t know what else to say because I feared for my baby’s life,” she said.
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She slowly returned to bed without help.
About two hours later, she felt the baby coming out.
“I screamed for help, but they didn’t respond. I began to push while placing my hand between my legs to support my baby,” said Livhuwani.
She said that only after the baby came out did she get assistance with the umbilical cord, and she was allegedly assaulted.
After reporting the matter to the matron the following day, the nurses were called in.
“All of them admitted to wrongdoing, but denied allegations of assault and apologised,” she said.
“I told the matron I wasn’t ready to accept their apology because they had put my life and my baby’s life at risk.”
Livhuwani wants harsh action to be taken against the nurses, and she has also opened a case with the police.
Colonel Dimakatso Sello confirmed that a case of assault has been opened.
The Department of Health had not responded to Daily Sun’s queries at the time of going to print.
