The family of 16-year-old Katlego Ledwaba and members of his local football club at Mogoto village in Zebediela, Limpopo are pointing fingers at nurses at Mogoto clinic for his recent tragic death. On the afternoon of February 12, Katlego complained of shortness of breath during football practice with his teammates at Zebediela Black Pirates football club. He collapsed and lost consciousness around 5 pm, leading to a series of events that ultimately culminated in his passing.
Florence Ledwaba, Katlego’s grandmother, shared that the team rushed him to Mogoto clinic, but the nurses allegedly refused to examine him as the clinic had closed for the day. The chairperson of Zebediela Black Pirates FC, Donald Motaung, recounted the harrowing experience of waiting for an ambulance while Katlego lay unconscious. Despite the efforts of paramedics, Katlego could not be revived, leaving the family and the football club devastated.
The community activist, Lucky Phologolo, expressed his disappointment in the lack of medical attention given to Katlego. He emphasized that the Limpopo Department of Health should take responsibility for the incident and provide answers to the family and the community. Neil Shikwambana, the spokesperson for the department, confirmed that investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of Katlego’s death.
In response to the tragedy, the Limpopo Department of Health has pledged to implement 24-hour services at Mogoto clinic and extend working hours to Sundays by the end of March. The department officials are also planning to meet with the affected family to offer condolences and share the post-mortem results once they are available.
While the clinic currently does not operate 24 hours a day, the department assures that the matter will be thoroughly investigated. The community is eagerly awaiting answers and hoping for accountability from the authorities involved in the handling of Katlego’s case. The tragic death of the young footballer has shed light on the importance of timely and adequate medical care in saving lives and preventing such heartbreaking incidents in the future.
