Sigangatsha villagers, in ward 6 of Matobo district in Matabeleland South province have appealed to the government to construct a clinic, as their nearest health delivery centres are kilometres away.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
The villagers told Southern Eye it was puzzling that 35 years after the country attained independence, the government had failed to construct “a simple” clinic for them.
Headman Herman Ncube said promises to build a clinic were made during the last elections, but nothing had been done so far. Sigangatsha villagers have to travel long distances to access basic healthcare at St Joseph (15km away), Sewula (8km) and Tshelanyemba (10km).
“It is an insult that since 1980, the government has failed to construct a clinic for us. It is our right to have basic health care and it is the duty of the government to ensure that it constructs one for us,” Ncube said.
“We have been receiving empty promises and we are saying we are tired of being taken for a ride. We need a clinic.”
The headman was speaking on the sidelines of a food-aid distribution exercise at Chief Malaba’s homestead.
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A confectionary company, Bakers Inn, donated food hampers comprising of mealie-meal, sugar, flour, beans, kapenta, bread, cooking oil, bath and washing soaps and other items to the tune of over $30 000 to about 150 families in wards 4, 5 and 6 under Chief Malaba’s jurisdiction.
Another villager, Jonathan Ndebele, from Sigangatsha, echoed his headmen’s sentiments saying people’s lives were unnecessarily being lost due to lack of basic health services.
“If the able-bodied people find it difficult to walk kilometres away to the nearest clinic, you then ask what about the terminally ill? Lives that could be saved are being lost because there is no clinic nearby,” he said.
Chief Malaba pledged to keep lobbying government to ensure a clinic is constructed.
