Riot Hlatshwayo and Robert Chavalala
The absence of staff at Limpopo clinics has resulted in the birth of a baby at a clinic's gate and another at a house.
Petrus Makhubele and Matjia Mokgalaka, who are guards at the Makhuxana Clinic near Phalaborwa, helped the woman give birth at the weekend.
"Nurses were not available because of the strike, so we had to do something about the situation," Makhubele said.
He said that as a man it was taboo for him to help the woman, identified only as Noria, give birth.
"I ran to call some grannies who live near the clinic because I could not bear to look at the woman giving birth because my tradition is against that," he said
Makhubele said when the women arrived they helped the stranded woman give birth. The woman gave birth to a healthy boy.
l Kate Ndlovu, of Mninginisi Block 2 near Giyani, gave birth to her baby boy after being assisted by neighbours on Thursday afternoon.
Mthabini Mathe said: "We were waiting for a taxi when we were told that there were no nurses at the local clinic because of the strike.
"So we had to go back home and help the mother give birth."
She said the baby was named Mahlori, Xitsonga for miracles. Mathe said they named the baby Mahlori because "he was born under miraculous circumstances".
Though proud she had helped the mother, Mathe said she was concerned about the negative impact of the strike.
Not a place to give birth
Riot Hlatshwayo and Robert Chavalala
The absence of staff at Limpopo clinics has resulted in the birth of a baby at a clinic's gate and another at a house.
Petrus Makhubele and Matjia Mokgalaka, who are guards at the Makhuxana Clinic near Phalaborwa, helped the woman give birth at the weekend.
"Nurses were not available because of the strike, so we had to do something about the situation," Makhubele said.
He said that as a man it was taboo for him to help the woman, identified only as Noria, give birth.
"I ran to call some grannies who live near the clinic because I could not bear to look at the woman giving birth because my tradition is against that," he said
Makhubele said when the women arrived they helped the stranded woman give birth. The woman gave birth to a healthy boy.
l Kate Ndlovu, of Mninginisi Block 2 near Giyani, gave birth to her baby boy after being assisted by neighbours on Thursday afternoon.
Mthabini Mathe said: "We were waiting for a taxi when we were told that there were no nurses at the local clinic because of the strike.
"So we had to go back home and help the mother give birth."
She said the baby was named Mahlori, Xitsonga for miracles. Mathe said they named the baby Mahlori because "he was born under miraculous circumstances".
Though proud she had helped the mother, Mathe said she was concerned about the negative impact of the strike.