Taxi driver hailed as a hero

Lolo Madonsela

Often in South Africa, taxi drivers are hardly hailed as heroes or upstanding citizens. The recent act by Nhlonipho Zulu (31) however has changed a few perspectives.

It was a normal day last Wednesday for Zulu, when he loaded the last passengers into his taxi from Richards Bay to the Hlabisa and Nongoma areas near Vryheid. Little did he know that by that evening he would become an unqualified midwife; in the middle of nowhere, in the bushes and in the dark.

Zulu said his taxi did not fill up as it was already the afternoon and there were not many people left going to Nongoma and Hlabisa. When he dropped off a passenger at Hlabisa Taxi Rank, he was left with only one occupant going to Nongoma.

Just before he could leave the rank however, a security guard approached him about giving Ntombenhle Mthethwa a lift to Nongoma. It turned out she would soon be his patient.

Soon after leaving the taxi rank, Zulu said Mthethwa started complaining about pains, saying she thought she was going into labour and requesting he take her to a nearby clinic.

“The other lady we were together with in the taxi then gave us directions to a nearby clinic, but she got off before we could reach it. When we arrived at the clinic, I explained our situation to the security guards, who then went and called nurses for us. The nurses demanded to know why she left Hlabisa Hospital and came to Buxedene Clinic instead, because they do not do deliveries and they do not have a doctor.”

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According to Zulu, Mthethwa told the nurses she had been fine and the pains had started while she was on the way.

“That’s when they got cross and screamed and shouted at her, before taking her in for a check-up.”

With hope in his heart that Mthethwa will now receive medical attention, Zulu dashed to his taxi to fetch her bags so he could continue with his journey.

“I then asked them to call an ambulance for her, as I was not going to be able to drive her to Nongoma in her condition. They told me they would not and insisted I take her with me. There was nothing else I could do; I took her with me as she was my responsibility as my passenger. I had to ensure her safety.

“It was not long after we left the clinic when she told me she was feeling the baby’s head. We were in the middle of nowhere and the houses we could see were about a kilometre away; I was not going to make it. So I pulled over, went to the passenger’s side and I just asked her to push,” he narrated.

Terrified and not knowing what he was doing, Zulu admitted it was difficult as the baby struggled emerge.

“I had no idea what I was doing and I was scared. She then asked me to get scissors or a sharp object to cut her. I was dumbfounded and told her I did not have any and even if I did, I wouldn’t have known what to do. I could not leave her alone either to find help.

“After some time, the baby arrived. Because I was clueless on what’s next, I told her to hold the baby between her legs as he was still attached. I then drove to find help. I was lucky to find women in the first house I went to, asking for assistance.

“They helped her out, gave her water to clean herself up while they bathed the baby. They gave her a clean gown to wear, because she did not expect to have a baby until next month, so she did not have any baby clothes with her. We then proceeded to Nongoma, when I left her with her family in hospital,” continued Zulu.

In his nine years of driving taxis, Zulu said he had never anticipated such an incident would ever happen.

“I was panicking the entire time, but there was no one else. I had to do what I had to do,” he said.

Zulu indicated he was quite traumatised by the incident: “Fortunately, the Department of Health [DoH] has arranged for me to go counselling.”

Also read: Clinic out of essential medicines for more than a month

He added this incident was an indication that taxi drivers needed training on certain medical procedures: “We carry different passengers who have different problems, so if we have well trained drivers, it’ll make like a lot easier.”

The nurses at the clinic were subsequently suspended, and an investigation is underway. MEC of Health, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu welcomed the suspension.

“Without pronouncing on the innocence or guilt of the accused, we hope this swift and decisive action will send a strong message. We want all healthcare professionals who are planning to mistreat patients to be clear they will not get away with it. Patients, just like healthcare workers, have rights which must be protected, respected and upheld at all times. If you misbehave, there will be consequences.

“As a caring and responsive Government, we take public complaints very seriously. That is why we have published the names and contact details of all health district managers and hospital CEOs on our official Facebook page. We are also launching an official app which will bridge the gap between ourselves and the public…”

Mthethwa could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print. The DoH has confirmed the baby was healthy and well however.

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