Durban – Mystery surrounds the death of a young Durban doctor who collapsed after attending an umembeso (exchanging of gifts ceremony) in uMlazi at the weekend.
Condolences have been pouring in on Thulani Chocholo’s Facebook page since Sunday morning.
Chocholo, 28, trained for five years as a doctor in Cuba before he returned to work at the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, in uMlazi.
His uncle, Reverend Thamsanqa Luthuli, of the African Gospel Church in Lamontville, raised Chocholo when his parents died when the child was just a year old.
Luthuli on Monday said he was shocked and confused by his nephew’s death.
The family was also shattered at losing a breadwinner.
The Lamontville community, Luthuli said, had lost a gifted doctor who had had a lot to contribute.
According to a statement by the Department of Health on Monday, Chocholo passed away unexpectedly.
According to the statement, Chocholo had been out with his friends in uMlazi and when he returned to his room at the hospital, where he stayed, he became “distressed”.
His friends then took him to the casualty ward.
Luthuli said he received a call on Saturday night to go to the hospital, where he was told Chocholo had been certified dead on arrival.
He said his nephew had an injury as small as a scratch on his right eye, which did not explain the cause of death.
“I am confused. All I know is that he is dead. I was not there, I do not know what to believe,” he said.
He said Chocholo had been a good boy and brilliant at school.
“After matriculating at Lamontville High School, he got a bursary to study medicine in Cuba and we were so proud to have a doctor in the family. He was the people’s doctor. He loved his work and his patients,” said Luthuli.
Chocholo’s brother, Xolani, was with him when he died.
He said they were standing around talking when he suddenly collapsed on the floor and sustained a scratch near his right eye.
“He did not complain of anything. He just collapsed,” said Xolani.
“I am still in shock. My brother wanted to start his own foundation to better the lives of the poor,” he said.
Mthoko Ndlovu, a community leader who went to Lamontville High school with Chocholo, said the Department of Education had distributed sanitary towels to Chocholo’s former school after an appeal by him.
“He was that kind of a person. He would just pick up the phone and do something about a difficult situation,” said Ndlovu.
Dr Ntombenhle Makhosazane Ntshingila, who worked with Chocholo at her surgery in Lamontville, described him as a passionate and promising young doctor.
“He had plans to start his own practice. He was working on returning to the Umbumbulu area where he was born, to give back to the community by giving them access to health care. His work was not about money, but all about helping his patients,” she said.