Health veteran shares some pearls of wisdom
A RETIRED uMkhanyakude District Department of Health official says she could never leave her hometown to work in big cities because she wanted to help her rural community.
With many respected nursing qualifications, and vast experience under her belt, Makhosazana Themba (65) had every opportunity to move away from her hometown in uMhlabuyalingana.
Affectionately known as ‘Sis’ Makho’, Themba was born in eMkhumbane (Cato Manor), and grew up in KwaMashu, but never forgot that her family originally came from much further north.
She worked in the nursing profession for 45 years, describing them as challenging but rewarding.
Her love for rural communities saw her stay put, championing better access to healthcare, and providing administrative leadership and direction.
Last Friday marked her last day at work as she began her retirement, closing the curtain on a long and fulfilling career that began when she started nurse training at Ceza Hospital in 1978.
She acquired her qualification as a professional nurse in June 1982, and worked her way up the ranks, becoming a nurse educator in 1985.
She subsequently worked, in various capacities, at Ceza, Charles Johnson, Mbongolwane, Ngwelezana and Bethesda hospitals.
She also had a stint as a private tutor at Potchefstroom University, helping nurses further their studies.
In 1999, Themba joined the uMkhanyakude District office in Jozini as clinical and programmes manager, and was appointed as district director in 2010, fulfilling this role until her retirement.
“I am grateful for the leadership I found [in the department]. If it wasn’t for this, I would not have worked
for this long. What kept me in uMkhanyakude is my realisation that this is home, and that I couldn’t just abandon my home.
“Many people like to leave the place they come from and go and work in the cities, but I thought I would draw a lot more work satisfaction from serving rural communities, especially the type of people I work with.
“The community I have worked with is very grateful and accepting of the help we give them. Also, the way we work and the relationship we have with all community structures, from traditional leadership to local municipalities, NGOs, and religious organisations. Those are some of the things that kept me grounded here.
“My thoughts were, if we are the ones who leave rural areas after being educated by the same communities, who will help them? I have always been touched by the gratitude we experience from the local communities,” she said.
Tribute
Last Friday, during Senior Citizens' Parliament in Mtubatuba, KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane paid tribute to Themba.
Among the main highlights of Themba’s career, the MEC singled out the government’s enhanced access to antiretroviral treatment to stem the tide of HIV and Aids, which
once decimated communities and seemed unstoppable.
“Seeing the team in uMkhanyakude change people’s lives, especially when it came to the HIV roll-out, as well as strengthening the ethos of mother and child care, shows there’s a lot we were able to achieve,” said Simelane.
Themba shared some pearls of wisdom with her fellow healthcare professionals.
“To those I leave behind, especially nurses, let us always remember why we came to this department, and who we are here to serve. The public relies on us. People love us. They believe in us. Ours is to give back to them. Let us remember that many of us are nurses today because of taxpayers’ money.
“Most of our parents were unable to fund our studies.
Let us get out of our offices and go where people are. We have committed ourselves to provide services to the people. Let’s do that. Let us respect the leadership, such as Amakhosi, the municipalities, and ourselves.
“We wear white robes because the work we do is godly. We are doing the work Jesus did and would do if He was still here,” said Themba.
Looking ahead, Themba plans to spend more time with her family but also with community organisations.