Sakhile teen urgently needs kidney donor

While other teenage boys in Sakhile have the camaraderie of friends, play sports, go to school, and enjoy the freedom of the outdoors, Kwanda Sibeko (16) is fighting for his life.

This frail boy with a smile that lights up a room suffers from chronic kidney disease and urgently needs a kidney transplant. He has to spend 12 hours a day hooked up to a dialysis machine, and whenever he is able to venture out, his parents, Sizwe and Innocent Sibeko, keep an eye on him so that he does not go too far.

Kwanda longs for the time when he could run and play soccer.

“I used to be a fast runner and therefore also a good striker in soccer. I cannot do it anymore. Any bump or fall can kill me,” Kwanda told the Standerton Advertiser.

Yes, he has dreams and ambitions for the future and his big brown eyes hold hope of one day living a normal life.

“I have always wanted to become a businessman, like my father,” he explained.

Dad Sizwe’s business took a huge knock when Covid-19 hit, and the medical bills for Kwanda’s treatments also began piling up.

With the business gone, Sizwe is now Kwanda’s primary caregiver during the day.

According to Mom Innocent , the family only learned about the severity of Kwanda’s condition after consulting a specialist, who explained that prolonged high blood pressure had severely damaged his kidneys.

“When he was five years old, Kwanda was diagnosed with hypertensive headaches after we took him to Alberton Hospital.

“Tests confirmed these headaches were caused by high blood pressure, and he was placed on treatment in 2021,” said Innocent.

In 2023, Kwanda collapsed and his body became swollen. Doctors later informed the family that he had suffered seizures due to kidney failure.

He was referred back to Alberton Hospital for further treatment. Innocent said that in 2024, doctors confirmed that Kwanda’s kidneys were no longer functioning and that he would need dialysis to survive.

His life now depends on daily dialysis, a special diet, medication and regular hospital visits. The situation has placed emotional strain on the family.

“On our wedding day on December 7 last year, Kwanda had another seizure. He was rushed to the hospital and was unconscious until December 30.

“During that time, a large bedsore had also developed on his back,” she explained.

The Sibeko family has grown very close during this trying time. Although Kwanda adores his bubbly little brother, he avoids the boisterous toddler as much as possible.

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“My little brother loves to wrestle, and does not understand that my body cannot take the impact,” the teen explained.

Due to his weakened immune system, Kwanda had to leave school.

“I miss going to school and learning. Maths was my favourite subject,” said Kwanda.

Kwanda is on a kidney transplant list, but time is running out. Although his parents immediately volunteered to give him a kidney, they do not qualify.

The family is now appealing for a kidney donor with blood type O positive to help save Kwanda’s life. Doctors have advised that potential donors will first undergo medical testing, and the family is currently seeking volunteers.

Anyone willing to assist may contact Kwanda’s mother, Innocent Sibeko, at 064 060 9415, or his grandmother, Sibongile Dlamini, at 079 141 9875.

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