Durban - A year after the first case of Covid-19 was reported in South Africa, families who lost loved ones due to the pandemic are still trying to come to terms with their loss.
Kavesh Naidoo, 28, of Hillcrest said he was still “putting the pieces of his life back together” after his mother’s death
Naidoo’s mother, Dr Thigamberie Reddy, 56, was a dermatologist and worked at Life Chatsmed Garden Hospital, Life Crompton Hospital as well as the RK Khan Dermatology Clinic for close to 25 years.
Naidoo, who was living and working at an ashram in India for the past 10 years, said he returned home to be with his mother last August due to the uncertainty of the pandemic.
“It's just my mum and me and I decided to relocate because I felt during this pandemic anything could happen and I didn’t want my mother to be alone. She was extremely passionate about her job and people, a genuinely kind person, very caring towards her patients, and it was evident with the outpouring of community grief,” he said.
Naidoo said he and his mother got Covid-19 at the same time but he was able to recover.
“Despite being in hospital, I recovered fully without relapses; at the same time, I know there is a possibility of a third wave, and doctors told me I still need to be very careful so I will not take any chances,” he said.
He said it had been extremely tough starting over in South Africa and adjusting to life without his mother.
“She was not only my biggest support but my only support!”
The family of another health-care worker, registered nurse Sister Thembisile Veronica Mathe, 62, from Woodlands, said they were also still adjusting to life without her.
Her daughter, Nkabanhle Mathe, said Thembisile worked in different hospitals around the country since 1985, and then spent six years working in the UK before returning to work at Netcare St Augustine's Hospital.
“She was a very joyful and energetic person. She loved her job and treated everyone she worked with as family. In her free time she was always with her family. She always went the extra mile for people and always left everyone in the room smiling. She did everything for us, so her passing has been so hard. We had to try to fill in the gaps, financially helping my father out, as there’s only my father, sister and I who are working,” Nkabanhle said.
She said her other siblings also experienced symptoms when Mathe got sick in December and the symptoms lasted a month.
She added that the family were extra vigilant about interacting with people safely.
“Especially during the time of her funeral, we were very strict with the number of people who could attend and we made sure everyone around the house were wearing masks and had sanitising stations around the house, and we still have sanitising stations throughout the house, even though we don’t have visitors.”
Nkabanhle said Covid-19 had robbed their family of so much and they were still fearful of it.
“With all the precautions it doesn't mean that you won’t catch the virus. So it has made us more fearful, because you can have it more than once, and we are worried what will happen if our father gets it,” she added.
The Mercury