When Dzulani Trecia Mudau, 34, was told she was pregnant early in 2023, she looked forward to life with her new baby. On 30 July that year, she left her family home in Ha-Mutsha Khwekhwe and checked into Tshilidzini Hospital in Tshisaulu for what should have been a routine check-up to ensure everything was progressing well with her pregnancy. But her life changed forever.
Medical staff diagnosed her with extremely high blood pressure and realised that, to save the baby's life, an emergency C-section was necessary. At seven months pregnant, Dzulani gave birth prematurely. The baby was placed in an incubator and recovered—but Dzulani was not as fortunate. She later suffered a stroke that left her paralysed.
Now, her family is accusing Tshilidzini Hospital of gross medical negligence, alleging that a series of critical mishandlings left her in a severely deteriorated condition. They are calling for urgent intervention from the Department of Health, arguing that poor medical care and neglect have destroyed her health.
Dzulani is currently unable to move, speak, or perform any tasks on her own. She requires a full-time caregiver, and even her most basic needs must be met by others. "We are struggling to afford her new needs," said her younger sister, Tshifhiwa Mudau. The family had previously relied on a temporary grant to purchase essentials such as disposable nappies, but the grant was stopped. "We can't afford to buy her nappies anymore, so we've resorted to using cloth," she said.
According to Tshifhiwa, just six days after childbirth, Dzulani developed a rectovaginal fistula—a painful and debilitating condition often caused by trauma during childbirth. This can result from prolonged labour, vaginal tears, or complications from pelvic surgery. However, the family believes that surgical errors, inadequate postnatal care, or prolonged medical neglect may have caused it.
On 6 August 2023, when the family tried to contact Dzulani, she was unreachable. Alarmed, they rushed to the hospital, only to find her bed empty. "When we arrived, the nurses were rude, dismissive, and evasive. They couldn't tell us where she was. Some admitted that the night before, she had sought medical help but was ignored," Tshifhiwa said.
It was only later that the family learned Dzulani had suffered a stroke— which had gone unnoticed until it was too late. She was rushed to the intensive care unit (ICU), where she remained for 10 days before being transferred back to the general ward. By then, her condition had severely worsened—she could no longer speak, often cried in distress, and was unable to care for her newborn child.
Despite her critical condition, Tshilidzini Hospital discharged her on 24 September 2023 without providing a clear treatment plan or urgent specialist care. Her mother, Mudau Evelyn, was told she would be referred to a major hospital, but no immediate action was taken.
Desperate and frustrated by the hospital's inaction, the family took matters into their own hands, travelling to Polokwane Hospital on 14 November 2023 for a scheduled appointment. Doctors there immediately confirmed the rectovaginal fistula diagnosis and requested a full medical report from Tshilidzini to determine what had gone wrong.
"I spent days chasing the hospital, dealing with excuses, delays, and outright neglect before they finally sent the report," Tshifhiwa said.
After spending over a week at Polokwane Hospital, Dzulani was sent back home—still in critical condition and without a clear treatment plan.
The Mudau family firmly believes that Tshilidzini Hospital's negligence—from failing to monitor her condition and ignoring her cries for help to delaying a response to life-threatening complications—directly contributed to her suffering and worsening health.
They are now demanding accountability from the Department of Health and urgent medical intervention for Dzulani before it is too late. "The hospital's failure to act has destroyed my sister's health. We want justice, and we won't stop until something is done," Tshifhiwa vowed.
Limpopo Department of Health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana confirmed that the department is aware of the complaint and is engaging with the family. "We have taken note of the issue and are engaging the complainant. We choose not to engage in parallel activities, such as making public statements. We will comment on the issue in due course," Shikwambana stated.
No further details had been provided regarding the department's planned course of action at the time of our going to print.