WE FEEL SO HELPLESS

She got listeriosis in the womb. Now 6, her health problems are draining her family emotionally and financially - and they hope a lawsuit will bring relief

- NOKUTHULA ZWANE-EJIKE

SIX years ago, life was good for the family. They lived in a comfortable home in the suburbs of Polokwane and their children went to a private school. But everything changed when their youngest was born. 

Since then, they’ve had to sell their home to make ends meet and move to a rural area near the Limpopo town, their

kids had to move schools and their medical aid is all but exhausted after they spent nearly R700 000 on treatment for their youngest. 

The little girl, known only as Baby T, has had one health issue after the other. She was born at 36 weeks and was just three weeks old when she had her first convulsion.  “It was so scary,” her mother, Maria

Nyembe*, says. “Nobody knew what was going on.” 

Baby T is one of the victims of a listeriosis outbreak that dominated headlines in 2017 and 2018 and struck fear into the hearts of families around the country. The outbreak – the worst in the world – affected 1 060 people and claimed 218 lives, many of them newborn babies. 

The source was traced by the department of health to polony manufactured at Tiger Brands’ Enterprise factory in Polokwane, a mere stone’s throw away from the Nyembes’ home at the time. 

When their child had her first convulsion Maria and her husband, Musa*, a financial manager at a bank, rushed her to their GP.

The doctor gave her medication and told them to watch her closely. Later that night the convulsions returned. 

Subsequent tests carried out by Baby T’s paediatrician confirmed she had listeriosis and she spent 10 days in intensive care where she was treated with strong antibiotics.