Dorris Sibanda longed to spend more time with son, before dying from cholera last year

Bafana Sibanda's dream to fulfil his mother Dorris's wish that he spends more time with her was cut short.

This never materialised as she was among 28 people to succumb to cholera in Hammanskraal.

Sibanda, who lived and worked in Pretoria North, never spent quality time with his mother since he was young as he had to quit school while in his teens to find a job so he could help support his family. At the time of his mother’s death, Sibanda worked as a forklift driver. 

He recalled a conversation he had with his mother just before she lost her life to the waterborne disease. 

"She was telling me that I needed to get another job where I could spend more time at home, because at that time I was the only person who was looking after her.   

"I didn't reach matric because of our home situation. No one was working at the time, so I had to go and look for a job. 

“I was a fork lifter working night shifts and during the day I would spend more time at work because coming home would cost me time and money,” Sibanda said. 

A few days later, Dorris complained about stomachache. 

“I came home and brought her medication. She became better but had lost weight."

However, Dorris got ill again and her condition worsened, prompting her admission at Jubilee Hospital. She was only there a day before succumbing to cholera.

“I went back to work, and then she was admitted as I was planning to set a day to go and see her. I was then told she died," Sibanda recalled.

Not only did he have to bury his mother but Sibanda was struck by another tragedy when his older brother died in November last year after a short illness.

Since losing his mother to cholera, Sibanda does not trust the tap water anymore. He now only uses it for cleaning, watering the garden and bathing. For cooking and drinking, he waits for the tankers that go around delivering water to people.

Sibanda is still left with questions on what happened to her mother.

"It's hard to understand what happened because so many people died in such a short period of time. One would think the water was poisoned because some people are still okay, and they were and are still drinking this water.