'A Long Illness' Killing Many Must Be Named To Protect The Living

Siphumelele Zondi 
@SZondi

Growing up in South Africa I had always known about “a long illness” that kills young people at their prime when they should be living their dreams. I remember that on many weekends my parents would go to funerals. The interesting thing is that when I was really young my mom and dad would go to ‘old people’ funerals. They would tell me it would be a certain person’s gran or grandfather, but as time went on it started to change and people being buried started to get younger.

On their return from these funerals my mother and her friends would often discuss the person and a line I remember often being said is, “Cha ubesegulile bandla”. Loosely translated to: “No, they had been sick a while.”

Exclusively Breast Feeding But Community Doesn't Get It

Zanele Ngwenyama

@zanelengwenyama

On 23 August 2011 the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, issued a statement saying that government has decided to adopt breastfeeding as the only strategy to feed infants. He further said the distribution of breast milk substitutes through health facilities would be discontinued. Motsoaledi believes it’s essential to do this as South Africa is one of 12 countries in the world where the child mortality rate has been on the increase. The minister said this method is safe and would assist in reducing the death of babies in the country.

This grabbed my attention as I had just given birth at the time. I have been exclusively breast feeding my baby for six months now. This has meant my child who lives with me in the rural areas of Bushbuck Ridge has been fed no other forms of liquidised or solid food. It has also made things easy for me as we live in an area where shops and places for basic needs are far. As a young mother I decided to discuss the feeding plan with my mother and she understood, but I live in a close knit community and as a result everyone tends to be an expert on the subject of breast-feeding, as they are experts on other subjects too. When my baby turned one month old I constantly had to explain my reasons for not feeding him porridge to community members. They think he starves if I don't. Sometimes I couldn’t answer all their questions so when they ask now, I just tell them it’s my decision and the baby is healthy.