Molepane residents demand long-promised clinic

MOLEPANE

Residents of Molepane Village outside Jane Furse in Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM), stated that they are left frustrated with the wide array challenges of long-pending clinic construction in the area.

The village has been depending on a mobile clinic which they say its service is inadequate with shortage of medication and shortage of personnel.

According to residents, in 2013, authorities from the Limpopo Department of Health in provincial and Sekhukhune District level, paid homage to the village to make commitments, reassuring them that a clinic will be constructed soon. However, about 12 years later, no progress has been made.

Describing the community’s ordeal, a Community Leader, Lloyd Mankge, said the impact of not having a clinic has devastating consequences and in some instances, leading to unacceptable loss of lives that could be avoided.

“The absence of a clinic in Molepane has resulted in unacceptable losses of life, particularly among vulnerable members of our society. Where community members have tragically lost their lives due to delayed or inaccessible medical treatment,” he said.

Mankge indicated that the majority of Molepane residents are living below the poverty line and cannot afford to travel long distances to access healthcare, forcing them to forgo essential treatment.

“This situation hit-hard on senior citizens because they often default on treatment collection due to the challenges of traveling long distances, exacerbating their health conditions. Lack of reliable transportation options further marginalizes community members, denying them equal access to healthcare,” explained Mankge.

He said the community will be sending a letter to MEC for Health in Limpopo, Dieketseng Mashego, to seek her immediate intervention urging her to expedite the construction of a clinic in their community.

He said they request the MEC to urgently act on the concerns and provide a clear timeline for the project’s completion and regular updates on the progress.

“We are fed-up because our fellow residents are dying like flies but the government is doing nothing to remedy the adversities. Our community cannot afford expensive healthcare. We are very poor to be attended by private doctors,” he said.

Mankge said should the MEC fail to intervene, the community will escalate the challenge to National Health Department and Human Rights Commission and also to the Presidency if needed. 

At the time of going to press, both MEC for Health Spokesperson, Percy Moagi, and Limpopo Health Department Spokesperson, Neil Shikwambana, could not respond to enquiries sent by the publication.