Johannesburg - Bereaved family members and the colleagues of 12 healthcare workers from Tambo Memorial Hospital gathered at the Boksburg Civic Centre in honour of their selfless dedication to their profession.
Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko paid tribute to the contributions of the selfless health workers who died in the line of duty during the Boksburg tanker explosion on December 24, 2022.
The Xaba family, originally from Ladysmith, is one of the 12 families who lost their loved ones who were healthcare workers based at Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg, whose members of staff perished during the December 24 Boksburg tanker explosion.
Sbusiso Xaba, 54-year-old Thokozile Xaba’s brother, said after the memorial service that his sister had been unemployed for some time before landing the job at Tambo Memorial Hospital.
He said his sister had moved to Joburg just over 18 months ago, and when she began her career anew at the Boksburg healthcare facility, little did she know that this would be her last assignment as a healthcare worker.
“She had just started working again, and just when her life was starting to take shape again, she passed away. We are saddened by her death, and as a family, we spent our last days going up and down and hoping for her recovery, but it was not to be. We lost someone who was a born healthcare worker and who, even before starting her career, helped nurse everyone who wanted medical care,” Xaba said.
Nkomo-Ralehoko paid tribute to the 12 healthcare workers who died after the December 24 explosion that claimed 38 lives, saying the staff members died while practising their profession to the end.
The MEC revealed that the department had started a process to investigate the real cause of the blast, saying this would ensure that families of the victims find closure on what really happened on the day of the tragedy.
“We have started the process of investigating the explosion. This is important to know what happened, why it happened, and if ever there have been lessons learnt, what those lessons have been. To minimise the pain and suffering, we have also started the process to help families who are recovering from their losses with compensation and claims for UIF and other procedures, and we will communicate with the families to make sure we expedite the process, while we continue offering psycho-social support through the help of social workers.”
She said all the healthcare workers had died while ensuring that they preserve the lives of the people who depended on them for medical help and called them individually by their name.
Gauteng Health HOD Dr Nomonde Nolutshungu called the victims of the blast by name adding that they had died with their boots on while trying to save lives. She referred to the incident as the “biggest and unprecedented tragedy” to ever hit the healthcare profession.
Among those who lost their lives in the blast were: Simphiweokuhle Mbatha, Ntabiseng Modisakeng, Khensani Thobela, Sibongile Hobyane, Nompumelelo Shezi, Bore Majatladi, Khothatso Magapane, Matjatji Maila, Matlakala Maxakaza, Koena Sekoba and Moshemane Mahoa.
“While John Donne argues that any man’s death diminishes him, unfortunately, we have not lost just any man. The short biographies of our dearly beloved colleagues that have been flighted on the screens today bear testimony that they were not just any men.
“We have lost sisters and a brother; mothers and a father; aunts and an uncle; daughters and a son. We have lost colleagues and friends. We have lost front-line workers. We are wounded. We are bereaved! To the families and friends of our late colleagues, know that your loss is our loss.
“The demise of our 12 colleagues has dealt a devastating blow to not just the Tambo Memorial Hospital as a facility, but to the rest of the healthcare system in the province and, by implication, to the country, given the interdependencies within the health system,” Nolutshungu said.
The Star