Victor Hlungwani

Victor Hlungwani

The woman from Zimbabwe who this week gave birth at the Giyani taxi rank in Limpopo has been inundated with presents.

The plight of Bridget Mabasa, right, was published in Sowetan yesterday. She went into labour while she and her two-year-old daughter were waiting for a connecting taxi to Tzaneen. They were on their way to visit Mabasa's father, who works there.

The heavily pregnant woman and her daughter had just got off a taxi from Zimbabwe when she started getting contractions.

Mabasa asked passers-by for help, but many people ignored her. Then two Good Samaritans from a local medical-aid company came to her rescue. The two women tried to take Mabasa to their company's offices, but she delivered before they could get there.

Well-wishers flocked to the Nkhesani Hospital in Giyani yesterday with presents for the young mother, her newborn and two-year-old Adeline Mabasa.

They brought clothes, napkins, money and snacks, and sweets for little Adeline.

One of the well-wishers, Chingisa Shivambu, who read about Mabasa's plight in Sowetan, expressed disappointment that people had ignored her while she was in pain.

"This behaviour is unacceptable. I am still shocked that they ignored her because she comes from Zimbabwe," said Shivambu.

Another well-wisher, Mjhinjhi Ndlovu, was also disappointed with the way Mabasa was treated.

The benefactors gave Mabasa the taxi fare to get her, her baby and the toddler to Tzaneen.

Mabasa, who was discharged from the hospital yesterday, has named her baby Xihlamariso.

The happy and excited mother explained that Xihlamariso is a Shangaan name meaning "miracle".