A 31-year-old woman has been left devastated and scarred for life after a routine caesarean section.

Thabile Choma from Klarinet in Emalahleni detailed a story of horror after she was admitted for an emergency C-section due to high blood pressure at the Witbank Provincial Hospital on November 21, 2023.

Thabile told the Middelburg Observer that she went to the hospital when she was eight months pregnant, and a C-section was recommended. She said she assumed all would go well, just like in her previous C-section.

According to Thabile, about 30 minutes into the procedure, the room just went quiet, which felt strange to her. She added that the procedure took over an hour to complete.

When the procedure was done, she said the doctor who performed her C-section quickly walked out.

As she was being taken out of the theatre to the waiting room, she could see the doctor sitting, holding his head. The doctor then allegedly walked up to her and said, “ That was a hell of an operation. If it were up to me, I would recommend you never have children again.” Thabile said this surprised her, although she did not give it much thought.

The following day, Thabile said she started experiencing unusual pain, not similar to the pain she had with her previous operation. However, she said no one paid her any attention.

She had a previous operation on her stomach in 2018 and never experienced any issues afterwards.

Thabile then said that on the third day, her mother came to fetch her, and she continued crying, as the pain had intensified. She added that a matron approached and asked what was wrong, and she was given pills, but they continued to discharge her regardless.

Thabile told the Observer that her pain worsened when she arrived at the mother’s lodge, and she had to crawl to seek help as she couldn’t walk anymore. The nurses there allegedly said they could not help her, she had to go back to casualty to be treated. She then called her family, asking them to collect her and take her to casualty.

Thabile alleges that she was taken in and out of casualty about four times, and each time she was given medication and told nothing was wrong. Some of the nurses allegedly said she was looking for special attention because ‘she was special’.

She stated that after the third time, she was injected with something, and the pain subsided. However, later in the evening, her back pain started again, and her temperature went up. At that time, she said she felt very weak and thought she was about to die. All she wished for was for her family to take her home, so she could at least die at home.

She was then admitted and checked over by two doctors. One of the doctors allegedly said the reason her operation did not go well was because she had a big belly, while giggling.

At around 20:00 on Saturday, Thabile said she saw what looked like a boil while undressing her wound. She said pus was coming from between the scar from the 2018 operation and the new operation.

According to her, during her C-section, the doctor had stitched one of her intestines to her C-section wound.

She detailed how numerous doctors would come in and out of her room, perusing her file but never checking up on her.

Thabile could be heard breaking down and crying unconsolably, as she detailed her story of horror to one of the Observer journalists.

Thabile said she started wearing a diaper after that.

A specialist then came and explained that she would be operated on again, and warned her that she was highly likely to walk out of surgery with a stoma bag to assist her with relieving herself, and a big scar on her belly. She said she was lucky to discover that she wouldn’t require a stoma bag when she left the operating room.

Thabile alleges that the stitches, shortly after the operation, burst, and she was discharged on December 14 with a septic wound. “It was after I arrived home that I saw the extent of the open wound from a mirror in my room, where I saw what looked like a hole. I immediately wished someone would come and shoot me in the head so I could die‚” she said.

Her family then took her to Emalahleni Private Hospital, where they were all shocked after seeing her wound, wondering if she was really discharged in that state or if she had left on her own accord. She was then referred to a wound specialist, where she spent money for her treatment.

Thabile added that till today she cannot believe what the hospital did to her. She said she now suffers from multiple health-related issues due to the botched C-section.

Thabile reported that her diet is now the biggest issue she is facing, as she now eats meals prescribed to her by a dietitian, which are expensive for someone like her, as she is unemployed. She said that although her lawyers try to assist her, it is not enough, as the food barely lasts her long enough.

“ Before the incident, I was self-employed, and I could support myself. Now I struggle to even care for my child. I have never been able to enjoy motherhood properly. I have been depressed, and the quality of my life has severely deteriorated.”
Thabile said what breaks her heart even more is that no one is willing to take accountability, which has led her to be botched for life.

She said she would be grateful for any assistance with her special diet and the meals she is allowed to consume, as she cannot afford them due to her being unable to work and earn a living.

• The Department of Health was approached for comment, and the Middelburg Observer awaits response.

This article was amended to indicate that the Department of Health was given the right to reply.