02 September 2021

A SENSE OF despair has turned to newfound hope for the impoverished mother of newborn triplets from KwaDumisa village, under Umdoni Local Municipality, on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal.

This is thanks to a visit this afternoon by KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Ms Nomagugu Simelane to GJ Crookes Hospital, where the week-old babies are recovering, having been born prematurely, at eight months.

The MEC came bearings gifts for the all-male triplets Aphile, Asiphile, and Asibonge - clothes, nappies and blankets; as well as even greater news for their 39 year-old mother Malitha Ndlovu: the promise of a brand new home that will be built for her.

Malitha, who could not contain her tears during the MEC's visit, admitted that she initially felt overwhelmed when she found out only during her delivery last Thursday (25 August) that she was carrying triplets.

"I was confused at first...when the doctor told me while I was delivering that I was going to have two babies. I asked her whether she was serious, and she said yes. When they found the third baby, I was somewhat sad because I was really not expecting to have so many babies," she recalled.

Equally taken aback was the babies’ father Mlungisi Mzizi, who is also unemployed.

"He was shocked," Malitha recalls. "To the point that when I told him on the phone about the triplets, he initially said he couldn't hear me properly and put the phone down. He then called me back and asked for the second time how many babies I had given birth to. When I told him that it's triplets, he said it's okay, and that even though he's unemployed, we will see what we will do."

Malitha said she wished her babies good health and prosperity in life. She also expressed a wish to secure herself a job, so she could take better care of them. She said she would be registering the triplets so that they can receive a child support grant, like her other two children.

The triplets, who weighed in at 1.86kg, 1.2kg, and 1.71 kg, are being breastfed, and have been given a clean bill of health. They will remain under the supervision of healthcare professionals for the next two weeks, for continued care and weight gain.

MEC Simelane, who was accompanied by Ugu District mayor Cllr Sizwe Ngcobo, Umdoni Mayor Cllr Sibongile Khathi and MP Fikile Masiko during the visit, said she was deeply moved when she heard about the unemployed mother's plight.

"We have agreed that we are going to assist her. And that assistance will be coming from mayor Ngcobo from the District, and Mayor Khathi from the local municipality. I must say that we really appreciate the commitment that they have made, so that the family will be assisted.

"It's a very joyous situation when you're expecting a baby. It's also joyous when you get three babies, because it means you're blessed three-fold. But it also has serious financial implications, and we have to come in to assist.

"We want to say to the Ndlovu family, 'Congratulations with your healthy babies'...but to also say to the team that delivered those babies, ‘Well-done’. Especially because they were not aware that she was going to be delivering triplets. They did very well under immense pressure. All three babies are very healthy, and we truly appreciate the work that has been done," said MEC Simelane.

The MEC went on to officially open the hospital's newly-renovated 35-bed maternity ward, which is currently being used for isolation; as well as a separate, purpose-build 49-bed isolation ward.

"We are very happy with the work that we've seen, as well as the work that our healthcare workers are doing. We've also seen the hospital's vaccination site. We know that they have three within Umdoni; one is in Park Rhynie, and the third one is an outreach team.

"The kind of work that is being done here is exciting. We've come to say to the workers, 'Thank you very much; we appreciate your work.'"

ENDS Issued by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health