Modderfontein Conservation Society visits Sizwe Hospital grave site
MODDERFONTEIN - Members and friends of the Modderfontein Conservation Society recently went on an outing led by Naomi Dinur, a translator who has researched the area since 1995, and visited the grave sites at Sizwe Hospital, formerly known as Rietfontein Lazaretto.
According to Robbie Vermont, membership secretary of the society, the hospital was built on the old Rietfontein farm and catered for patients with serious infectious diseases, notably bubonic plague, smallpox, TB, leprosy and anthrax. Vermont said, “Many died there from these dreadful ailments and were buried onsite. According to Dinur, there are more than 6 000 graves here.”
Janet Brodrick, also of the society and organiser of the outing said, “One gravestone, for instance, remembers a Mr Mlangeni. Is it wrong to speculate that there might be a connection [between the deceased] and Andrew Mlangeni, a struggle hero?”
“Many of the metal grave markers have disappeared,” added Broderick.
According to Dinur, another grave at the hospital commemorates nurse Emily Blake who died aged 27. Dinur said, “While tending to a sick child, she hugged and comforted him with a kiss. Soon after, Emily paid the ultimate price for her compassion when she died from bubonic plague.”
According to Vermont, Rietfontein Hospital originally stood alone in a remote location – a full day’s cart ride from the centre of Johannesburg. This was a safety measure against the smallpox epidemic sweeping Johannesburg.
“The area is scheduled for development. Brodrick speculates that a possible horror scenario may occur with construction releasing millions of anthrax spores on the N3 and thereby putting South Africa’s livestock at risk or even starting a smallpox plague,” said Vermont.
