Zulu Dog Bites Man - Rabies, Hospital and Treatment

On getting back to Bergville I asked about rabies and rang the doctor I had seen about my BP. The receptionist was saying that dogs are immunised and if treatment for a human is required it was a long process of many injections (yuk). I thought the likelihood of getting rabies was low so rang Bernard Gaede the Medical Director at Emmaus Hospital. He agreed it was a low risk situation, rabies was rare and if the animal acted out of character it was a risk I could bear. I asked about symptoms and he said it was too late once symptoms of headaches, nausea, frothing at the mouth and seizures occurred. On hearing this I decided to have treatment and so went on his advice to the clinic to get a referral to the hospital.

KZN Hospital Rivals Sydney Hospital

I was dreading having to go to Emmaus Hospital. However I am glad of the experience as there were lots of lessons and if you could imagine SA without a HIV problem where 18%( repeat 18% it is not a mistake) have HIV then the health system probably would not be too bad taking into account the rural context First I had to go to the Municipal Clinic. There an older Zulu RN filled in a form for me. She then looked at my dog bite and wanted to dress it. I suggested this was unnecessary and so I got the form to take to the hospital.
Lesson one was the drive to Emmaus Hospital. This hospital is 24 kms from Bergville and serves the municipality. The next closest hospitals are 45 and 50 kms away at Ladysmith and Escourt. I am a middle class visitor to SA and I have a car to transport me to receive medical treatment. Most Zulus bitten by a dog would not bother to worry as they have no means of transport except walking or taxi at prohibitive costs. This explains the difficulties many have accessing basic medical services or keeping up treatment for HIV and getting monthly medication.
Once at the hospital I was checked by a security guard who looked in my boot before allowing me to proceed.
Lesson number two was dealing with an unfamiliar system. I had Mamsy with me. I handed my form to the man in a box outside the OPD. He took all my details again and wrote them on a dog bite form. He then directed me to an office around OPD. When I knocked on the door I was told I had to go and get two more forms. Back to the entrance where at the door was a clerk who dutifully entered my details in a log book, filled out some more papers and took my BP (113/52 so I guess the medication is working) and made up a file. I was asked what was wrong with meand in full view of all pointed to my leg which she examined and made some comments on the form. Lucky it was nothing too personal I thought.

Dutifully armed with three lots of papers I was directed to the seats and obviously told to wait. I quickly discovered that the system worked on a first come first served basis. I was the only non Zulu in the waiting room so my presence caused a degree of curiosity from staff and other patients alike. I set in for a long wait. As one person was taken in to see the doctor all people moved to the next seat. I was able to see I was number 15 so guessed it would be a few hours.
The others waiting comprised mainly kids under two who looked very sick. There was guy who looked like he had TB or AIDS as he was wasted and a student who tried to push his way along by waiting outside the room the doctor occupied. At one stage Bernard the doctor came out looking stressed shouting for some help to hold down a patient for a lumbar puncture. I briefly wondered if I should offer but thought better of it and my limits as a volunteer (besides which I nearly passed out last time I saw a lumbar puncture). The young student standing outside at a later stage got a song and dance from the doctor who then pointed to the queue directing this young Zulu to the end.

The woman next to me had a child less than 12 months who looked very sick. I was conscious that possibly half the women waiting here were HIV positive based on data from KZN Health.

The queue moved slowly for a long while but one it got moving it seemed to move quickly and before I knew I had made it to the front row. Only six more ahead of me.

Each time one of the mothers with her infant went into one of the consulting rooms there were the anguished cries of babies I guess having blood drawn. Eventually Bernard called me in, had a look at the leg and said it was probably a risk not worth taking although it was very minimal, signed the form and sent me down the hall. A male nurse was waiting and he had already seen my form and filled in what I needed which was a course of five rabies injections. He got the injection package out of the fridge, drew the medication and injected me in the arm. All over in two minutes, I was given my form, directed back to the municipal clinic where I was to return on 30/3, ¾, 10/4 and 24/4 (when I am in Capetown). All over and all done with inside two hours, I think people in Australia won’t believe I was “processed” inside two hours as I know it would not happen at home. My afternoon totally wrecked I went back to the office to finish off the business planning workshop for Saturday.

More Garden Visits

This woman was 3kms from home and does this everyday on foot.

This 10yo and her mother were 2.5kms from home when I picked them up. The 10yo was quite accomplished in carrying a load

Looking very please with themselves. This trip saved them a morning

This woman harvested chillies which are drying out.Last year she estimated she made R1000 ($160A) by growing chilles

The woman on the right is 91 b1918

What do you find walking dow a country road in Dukusza? What else but a band of Zulu singers and dancers

This is hard work. After pumping water the garden was over 50m walk

In their community garden which feeds destiture people and orphans

Just a photo I thought but I ended up giving these ladies a lift and learning a bit about how they got fuel for cooking

The cabbages were planted in January

Friday – started agenda and PP presentation for Business Planning workshop Saturday. Went out with Mamsy to two gardens.En route saw women carrying wood and stopped for a photo. Ended up giving them a lift of 2.5km and 3kms for the 66yo who had the biggest pile. There was a 10yo with the first woman who had her own pile.

The first a community garden which was operating at Dukuza. This was a large garden with a large cabbage section. I am guessing the garden was 20m x 10m in size and would have required a lot of work. Three women greeted us and were obviously expecting us.

The man working in the garden told me he was 66yo. Apart from cabbages there were some spinach and tomatoes. While there was a pump about 50m away I was told this was too difficult to use and so a community pump was used. We walked across the road to where land has been set aside for a new community garden which will be huge. This is being promoted by the Social Development Council and funding is required for fencing which will be costly. The existing garden was established in January which surprised me when looking at how advanced the cabbages were. This garden is supplying a soup kitchen for destitute families and orphans in the area. Food is in short supply and the tripling of food costs in the last twelve months has motivated the establishment of this garden. Talking to this fellow he said something quoteable = “we are dying like flies out here!” The impact of AIDS

The next garden was within three kms of where we were however on the way Mamsy pointed out Zulu Culture – about a dozen girls an women dressed in Zulu dress carrying a drum walking down the road towards the school A photo opportunity for a tourist! The women obliged by removing their smocks revealing the full colours of their outfits.

On arrival at the next house which was off a track with a woman carrying a box on her head, she on seeing us turned around and I followed her in to where the houses were. On arriving a little old woman who I was to learn was 91 (b1918 she told me) was almost doing cartwheels on seeing us arrive. She had a huge grin and on getting out gave Mamsy and I a huge hug and then kept slapping her hands together, smiling and laughing. There were three houses and the main house was larger than the other two. The garden surprisingly was bigger than the community garden I had just visited but not all planted out. It had cabbage, and lots of chillies which were harvested and sold. There was a metal sheet which had cut chillies drying and I tasted a seed which was as hot as any chilly I have tried. The seeds are then crushed to form a powder. I was offered to small bags and paid R10 for them which brought huge smiles but I had to say no to the huge pumpkin being offered. Outside this garden in what appeared just field was a long cleared area about 1.5m wide and 20m long planted out with potato. Around the house there was also millies (maize) growing.

On returning to the house area I peered over a stable door which was an entry into the house when I felt a nip on my ankles and then four dogs howling fiercely at me which scared me more than the bite. Initially the bite looked as though there was no damage but eventually a small amount of blood trickled out on both sides of my right ankle. The women were apologetic saying sorry sorry repeatedly. I told them not to worry wondering in my mind if I had been immunised against rabies. We concluded our meeting by going into the house while the women sang a song, a prayer was said and we were off. On asking Mamnsy about the reception I was told I was the first white person to visit this woman in her home.

Week Eight - Another ordinary week - The end is near!

Busi the volunteer at the office and Mamsy the Gardens Facilitator

Some of the people training at Zamimpilo having a break

An ambitious change agenda

Zamimpilo kitchen upgrades

Vusi with sixty kids in the youth lifeskills program

Friday 27/3/09

This week has flown. Less than two weeks before Linda’s arrival and I am starting to feel the pressure of getting things completed. I had blocked out next week to give m etime to fianlise my main project but have a visit to Intumbane Monday, helping Thembe Tuesday with some work for Canadian funders, speaking to a group of third graders on Wednesday about Australia and going to Ladysmith with Thembe Friday to talk about funding for Home Based Carers.

That’s next week This week has been busy.
Monday, meeting with Monika about future funding. Then went to Zamimpilo to review the work they have done and to take some more photos. Met DoH people there doing a month’s training on HIV. They are on stipends and t was interesting to learn their expectations of employment when they do get work. Some expect R6-7000. I heard Busi taking them on about the unemployment rate in their villages and perhaps they need to be more realistic. Complaints about Zamimpilo ranged from over crowding, poor quality of food ( Iwish I had been invited to have the lunch they were having – a 7 colour plate as Busi described or Sunday meal), overcrowding (they have dismantled the bunks to make them singles so they have caused their own problem) and it is too quiet which I think is a positive.

Drive out and back saw the Drakensbers as clear as I had seen them. Locals say March and April are the best months. Back for a 3pm meeting with one of the partners reliant on Philakahle. Went till six. Director from Joburg was under pressure with changes of Philakahle’s and buying time. Their agency offered nothing.

Tuesday was spent doing a debrief with TK and Thembi about the meeting yesterday. Was due to go to Intumbane but it was cancelled due to a teacher’s strike which is happening everywhere in the area at present. Spent time helping Thembi with the Home Based Carers letter and general administration stuff including the agenda for Satrday’s workshop I am facilitating as well as looking at Capetown accommodation. Tuesday afternoon to Ogada with Vusi Maphapala who operates the Youth Values Based Life Skills program. The drive out to the school where the program operates was interesting given the road he had to travel in a 4WD. About 60 kids attended. They were attentive then stayed for a drink and bread

Wednesday to GGA to finish off the Business Plan and to assist Debbie with the funding proposal.

Thursday was spent editing a PowerPoint presentation on Philakahle with Thembi and finalising arrangements for the HBC letter to District DoH. She has arranged a meeting next week in Ladysmith which I will attend with her to seek stipends for these (mainly) women. Lots to do Friday which is clear after a few garden visits with Mamsy

A day in Newcastle and an alternative view on Zulu "culture" of multiple wives

Sunday was a contrast to Saturday. My friend Moses from Sydney (hello Mo) had worked with a guy 20+ years ago who is now an Anglican minister at Newcastle about 150 kms from Bergville. Up at 600 hours and away to Newcastle where I met Tsietsi rector at Newcastle. The Anglican church here is large and modern. Clearly this was a white church in the Apartheid days but there were few whites when I arrived. By the time the service got going it was clear that it was a Zulu congregation with about 10% whites. The service was fairly catholic but contemporary (if that makes sense).

After the service his daughter Ndembiseng aged 12 came to ask me over to the rectory. We spent a good hour and a half chatting and I was invited to lunch. The discussion was far ranging, covering African politics, economy, apartheid history as well as church. We had an interesting discussion about being thankful. He talked about his ministry history and his testimony is worth writing up. Lunch was spent getting to know Rachel his wife who still works at Dundee. They have been here since December.

I asked about my experiences the previous day when I met the guys who had multiple wives and the different opinions between the two about it being cultural. Tsietse said the second guy was right that it was not cultural and had been a practice allowed by concession which had become abused. There is no history in Zulu culture going back of men taking multiple wives. He supported the view that culture is being used as an excuse by men to have multiple partners and it sounded like the second guy was wrestling with his conscience about what he has done, realising the wrongfulness of it not only for himself but also the impact it will have on the future of his children. He felt the practice came down to sin and this guy knows from the perspective of knowing right and wrong that he is doing the wrong thing. He also indicated that my experience with these guys yesterday is not uncommon and there are many men who use privilege and status as men to do as they will.

After lunch a walk around town past the hospital. He mentioned the road the hospital is in is used by young girls to prostitute themselves, getting into cars of unknown men. He commented on the risks this posed and what they must be coming from to take the risk of getting into car. We then drove some 20-30 kms out of town to two townships Madadeni and Nidamba The history of these places was interesting. Over 20kms from Newcastle an industrial area was between the two. This was so blacks in the apartheid era had no reason to come to Newcastle apart from major shopping. The townships were massive. Population estimates were not provided but seemed to be in the tens of thousands. Most lived in modest western style houses with the occasional rondavels which Tsietse explained were used by people who were Spirit and Ancestor worshippers.

We called into the Anglican church here and I met Tony the minister and his wife and two kids. Tony explained the church here gets about 300 each Sunday. They support 500 orphans in their community in various ways and have plans to build a new orphanage. Many of the orphans are cared for in granny headed households. It appears the death rates from AIDS is increasing and there are more and more orphans.

As we drove back to Newcastle discussion continued and I saw for myself the massive industrial area that bisected the city of Newcastle and the Townships. The township had its own hospitals. However schools and places of technical education had closed down to accommodate government offices. The decay of South Africa was evident. A new sign near a road newly built was pointed out and I was told a minor road was recently opened with a massive celebration for locals which is supposed to have cost over R1M ($160,000). Tsietse has no faith in the current government having the capacity to improve services. Poor governance and corruption are taking its toll on the country.

We ended up back at his place. It was a longer day than I had expected. It answered a lot of yesterday’s queries about the Zulu culture and its abuse of women by men. HIV will continue if men do not change their practices. It was as though I had spent a day with a guy I had known for many years. A day I will remember for a long time. A beautiful view of the Drakesbergs as I drove home on sunset

I met a man who had four wives and was shocked until I met a man with six wives!

Man on left with four wives and on the right the man with six girlfriends


As I was leaving to go to the Umsebenzi I noted my inviteed had not yet left so I joined them to talk as I did not want to go out myself. This happened to be absolutely fascinating. These guys are all connected locally through family or village ties. As I am want to do I asked questions about family and children. One guy has four common law wives as he explained. I explored this in some detail to learn his father had three wives, was a traditional healer and his mother had never gone to school and his father to about third grade. They lived at Hambrook, one of the villages in what is called 11 Settlement area. People there and in other villages were offered land in exchange for moving from their traditional villages. When asked how he supported four wives he retorted quick as a flash, without so much as blinking that they all worked to support themselves and the five children he has fathered. They all lived separately and as I jokingly asked how he managed to maintain relationships he in all seriousness told me how difficult it was initially. The first wife knows nothing of the second wife until he has paid the lobola and is officially paid. The new wife is made fully aware of the second, and the third and so on. The other guys were having a joke with him as well but this guy was very serious and talked about Zulu culture and family tradition and that this is still common amongst Zulus. After about an hour or so I followed these guys out. Luckily I did not plan to leave at midday as they suggested as the starting time (This is Africa) and so at about 3pm we went out.

I took a guy out who was the only non police officer amongst this group of six men. He was a school teacher (Maths, IT and English) and the discussion with him was more fascinating then the previous one. He told me he had six children to six different “girlfriends” who he admitted he still had relations with. Some not very often as they have moved to different part s of SA and so contact is infrequent. However he still maintains contact and sees his children and tries to provide support for them on his teacher’s salary. He also admitted that the relationships were sometimes strained as they all know of each other and there is some jealousy. After telling me all this he told me he did not accept the comments made by the previous guy about this being a cultural issue. He is aware of the HIV message as the National Teacher’s Union is running education sessions to combat the high death rate amongst teachers due to HIV/AIDS. He reflected that what he has done is not right and when I asked him when he had come to this conclusion it seems it has been a gradual matter of reconciling old practices with modern ways and he sees that HIV needs to be addressed and culture is no excuse for the practice of multiple sex partners. Whilst he is aware of condom use, once people are considered “married” as he is there is almost a prohibition on condom use! He acknowledged however he or any of his partners could cause the other six to become infected as there is an understanding among the women that they also may have other sexual partners. When I had asked this guy on the deck if he was married, one of his mates stated “he would not know where to start!” Our discussion explained this comment. He believes that the HIV message needs to get out to save young people from possible infection. He told me he had been tested last year and was negative but he needs to be tested again! This conversation was extraordinary and goes a long way to explaining the complexity of overcoming the HIV problem which is huge in SA with an infection rate of 18%.

Umsebenzi - My first Zulu Party

Saturday was an amazing day. I watched Rugby in the morning. Four Super 14 matches from Breakfast. I had moved into the house yesterday as the apartment was required by some Zulu guys down for the weekend. On talking to one of them he told me they were down for a function with their colleague. As I asked more about it I learned that it was a cleansing ceremony at Green Point for the memory of two family members who had died. It was a two cow ceremony reflecting two deaths. I was invited and checked whether this was serious and so made arrangements to go out.

We arrived at the Umsebenzi, which is like a memorial day for the deceased. The host was a Mr Shabalala who is at the guest house I am staying at. It was his uncle and cousin who died last year. The uncle of heart failure and the cousin of AIDS.
I met numerous brothers and sisters of the deceased brother some of whom were children of the father (it appears the father had a number of wives also). The host showed me to the rondavel where the cow slain two hours previously was laid out. This was apparently the uncle’s house now occupied by some other relatives.

The cow was laid out with its head prominent. It was explained to me that the whole beast will be eaten and then the men will eat the head last. I asked and was told the head represented the head of the family which is why only males can eat it. This whole afternoon was a party atmosphere. There was Zulu dancing by the women, singing and eating and lots of drinking. Women opened beer bottles with their teeth which just about made me pass out. Talking to three educated Zulu women who were teachers with gold fillings in their teeth I was horrified as one and later another opened a beer bottle with her teeth. As sun was setting a tent was being erected which was apparently for the church service which would start at 9pm. The guys I came with and some others kept checking if I was OK or comfortable and said they would arrange to escort me back to town. I replied each time I was fine and I was fascinated with everything. The women cooking on wood fires with massive pots, the kitchen preparations, the dancing, kids dancing to rock music and generally talking to people some of whom came from as far as Pretoria to provide support to the family. A meal was served soon after I arrived comprising beef, rice, beans, beetroot and some other things. Alcohol appeared in plentiful supply and one or two people clearly had more than their fill. There were two guys one of whom was a brother of the deceased who was clearly mentally ill. His family told me he smoked too much dukka. Another guy who also appeared mentally ill came up later in the evening with some dukka in his hand. It just grows freely. Clearly his brain had fried I told him and he needed less weed and more medication. By about 8pm my companions told me we were going. The road into this place was atrocious and I was not looking forward to getting out. I had a car full this time and we got out. The guy in the front spoke about how appreciative the family were of my attendance and talked a lot about Zulu culture, his and his friends inability to dance and understand some of the culture and that I would enjoy the annual dance festival in northern Zululand. I certainly got the message that it was a big thing to have a white person there and the family were honoured to have me as I was honoured to have been invited.

An ordinary week

Wednesday 11/3 spent three hours with Thembi and TK discussing a change management plan for their Program. Helped them draft a letter for the Board to approve as well as the actual plan for them to present to tomorrow’s board meeting.

Thursday – email from Rosalie about an Australian student wanting to do a two week placement in a school in KZN. Left a voice message for this woman and a text message asking her to email. Spoke to Bongi who is interested in pursuing this so will visit there tomorrow. Car door handle is broken. To Al’s repairs just out of town. He will order a new handle and let me know when it is in. The car has been useful and an ideal asset for volunteer use.
Board meting went well. Monika is trying to instill financial discipline in staff and other Board members.

Friday to Intumbane. Discussed possible placement with Bongi and Clement the deputy principal. Bongi drafted a reply while I went for a walk around the school. The gardens have been planted out with winter veges. Bongi and kids were in there at 6am this morning doing this! Rest of the day a bit of a write off. I am tired and just wanted to go home and crash. Office was frantic after lunch. Lots of pressure. Spent time with JK to help him with ideas about fundraising overseas and using contacts he has. Contacted GGA as no response to email sent early in week about workshop next week.

God's Golden Acre (1)- Cato Ridge

Monday 9/3 early departure for God’s Golden Acre at Cato Ridge. Picked up two guys who were headed to work in Durban with a 9am start. They had worked for the company as drivers for 30 and 22 years. Glad I picked them up as I would have been looking for Cato Ridge prior to PMB but in fact it was 30 kms past PMB and I got there with their directions.
Was met by Gwyn as I don’t think I was due till 9.30. Given the start of the tour. Debbie Young then arrived and completed the tour. Over 300 kids and families on sponsorship.
70+ kids in residence. Buildings are very comfortable even though they are institutional. Lots of programs. Debbie runs the YP programs and life skills etc. Long talk with her. Zulu Warriors tour is planned for July 2009. The theatre they have is an amazing building. Went with Charlie an English volunteer to the valley where we did three home visits. First to a house where a granny in her 90s was built a new concrete house. Her old rondavel still stood outside - unliveable but could have been repaired. Then to a house where a baby had been removed on Friday. The mother is skin and bones and death will be a release for her. HIV+ status diagnosed in September when pregnant. She told no one and the baby was born in November. She has been sick for a month and deteriorating. Despite her status she did not seek ARV treatment. This woman is clearly dying. How many more like her in this valley who will die painful and shabby deaths for the lack of basic transport and help to access services.
Then to lunch with Heather Reynolds, Charlie, Debbie and Gwyn and Patrick is Heather’s husband. Lunch developed into a long discussion about funding and Heather I sense stayed longer than she had planned. When I left before six I had been through the funding proposal with Debbie and Heather and had agreed to facilitate a workshop for her staff next week originally on funding but this turned into a business planning workshop.

A long drive home on roads where I have never seen so many trucks. Carol and others were still at dinner when I arrived at 8.15pm

A weekend in and around Bergville

Weekend 6-9 March
So tired that I planned a quiet weekend around the cricket. Saturday seemed to fly and I dozed off and on all day. Dinner at John Green’s with the Bishop and Helga Holst Med Super of McCord’s Hospital Durban, sister Monika and Dr Bernard Gaede from Emmaus Hospital. Interesting discussion about the state of SA, failure of government services, political issues and violence in the political process. The Bish is political if nothing else and is seeking to push for accountability of elected officials and government services. Walked home. Bergville is dead quiet at night.

Sunday to Rookdale Catholic Church – all Zulu. No priest – whole service conducted by two women including communion. Then to Winterton Anglican where I caught the tail end of the service. I helped with the BBQ and had lots of people coming to speak to me. Cricket for the afternoon until three Zulu girls who I had videoed on my first Sunday arrived at my invitation to watch the videos. Took some more videos. Carol went through her CD collection so it was an afternoon of videos and music.