Miracle bus baby now one year old
Mother still singing praises for swift response
ALUTA, the miracle baby born aboard a bus headed for an ANC Youth League conference, turned a year old last month.
Her mother, Tiny Ngcunukana, is still singing praises for the prompt response she received from Bloemfontein Hospital staff minutes after her water broke while inside the toilet of the Intercape bus hired by the Eastern Cape youth leaders to ferry members to the league’s 25th national elective conference in Gallagher Estate.
Ngcunukana, of eMcombothini village 6km from Lusikisiki, was part of a 390member delegation of youth league members from the Eastern Cape who were going to take part in the conference.
This is where the ANC youth elected Collen Maine as its president unopposed, as well as Desmond Moela as deputy president, Njabulo Nzuza as secretary general and Thandi Moraka as his deputy while Reggie Nkabinde was elected as treasurer.
While travelling towards Bloemfontein aboard the bus just before midnight on September 3 last year, Ngcunukana went into labour.
The bus driver had stopped in Bloemfontein for refreshments when she thought she needed to relieve herself, only to give birth to Aluta in the bus toilet.
Aluta was born prematurely weighing only 1.4kg and thanks to the prompt response of emergency officials, both mother and child were safe.
Ngcunukana was the sole branch delegate elected to attend the conference for Ingquza Hill’s ward 21.
However, the two had to remain in hospital for days for Aluta to at least weigh 1.8kg before they could be released.
Contacted for comment yesterday on Aluta’s well-being, Ngcunukana said she was very happy her baby girl was growing bigger and stronger.
“When I went to the clinic last month, she weighed 12.5kg. When I look back thinking of how I had to cuddle her every time like a kangaroo, a trick I learnt from hospital – it’s unbelievable that she has grown to be such a big girl. She is a miracle from God,” Ngcunukana said.
Ingquza Hill ward 21 ANC branch chairman Xolisani Malindi said they were as excited about Aluta’s good health as her mother.
“Were it not for our busy schedule during the local elections, we would have thrown a big party for her when she turned one in September.”