Eviction fears for Cape Quads’ family
AMID the joy of taking her four babies home for the first time, the mother of quadruplets born at Tygerberg Hospital is worried there might not be a home to go back to.
Inganathi Mafenuka and her mother, Luleka Mafenuka, 40, are worried they may be evicted from their house in Khayelitsha.
“I am grateful to God for my healthy grandchildren. My worry is that I don’t have a house to stay; we are currently facing eviction as from September 1,” said Luleka.
She said they have been told by the owner of house they have lived in for the last five years that they need to vacate the house. They are still looking for a house to rent.
Hospital spokesperson Laticia Pienaar said the quadruplets, who were born on July 6 via Caesarean section, and their 22-year-old mom will be discharged on Monday.
“Tygerberg Hospital is ready to bid farewell to the one-month-old quadruplets, or The Cape Quads, as they are fondly known now,” said Pienaar.
The healthy babies, Bubele, Buchule, Bunono and Bukhosi, two boys and two girls, weighed 980g, 1010g, 830g and 1030g respectively at birth, but their weight has since doubled. Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo visited the quads at the hospital on Tuesday. “The babies are ready to be discharged, except the little one who is below 1.8kg. That forces the mother to wait until Monday to be released,” said Mbombo.
Mbombo congratulated the hospital staff for keeping and maintaining the babies up until now. “I am very grateful to each and every one of you, especially the gynaecologists, neonatology, anaesthetists, theatre and nursing staff,” said Mbombo.
Hospital board member Damaris Kiewiets said most people keep their focus on the babies, forgetting their mother.
“We as the hospital board, we keep extending our support to Inganathi, and make sure that she is happy and healthy.” said Kiewiet.
“We are very happy as the hospital board to have seen this process, and mostly to take part in it,” she said
Inganathi said she is overjoyed by the news and can not wait for Monday to take her babies home.
“My family cannot wait, too,” said Inganathi.
Tygerberg Hospital paediatricians Dr Haseena Hassan and Dr Lunga Mfingwana expressed their joy at working with the quadruplets.
“It was exciting because we have been waiting for these babies for a few days before their birth. They needed attention and support, especially the little one,” said Hassan
Mfingwana said one of the greatest challenges they faced was the separation of the babies after birth.