The baby born aboard a bus travelling to the ANC Youth League conference in Johannesburg last week is healthy and bubbly.
Tiny Ngcunukana, an ANC Youth League activist, gave birth to baby Aluta (which means the struggle continues) in the bus toilet last Friday. Both mother and baby are still at Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein.
Aluta, who was born prematurely, weighed just 1.4kg at birth. Ngcunukana, who is kangaroo mothering, told the Saturday Dispatch they could only be transferred to a hospital closer to her Lusikisiki home when Aluta weighed 1.8kg.
“Nurses say even though she is healthy, she is still too young to be able to travel such a long distance,” 29-year-old Ngcunukana, of Emcombothini village near Lusikisiki, said.
Ngcunukana was among 390 delegates from across the province meant to represent the ANC youth at the elective conference held at Gallagher Estates, Johannesburg.
She said: “I knew I was due only in October and so taking the trip to the Youth League conference was not necessarily a risk as far as I was concerned.
“I was shocked when I realised I was about to give birth while in the bus toilet.
“But what matters most is that even though I gave birth too early, and my child is still underweight, she is growing well each day and I’m sure we will be out of here soon.”
Ngcunukana was the sole branch delegate to the conference for Ingquza Hill’s ward 21.
She carried a mandate to lobby support for her branch chairman Xolisani Malindi to form part of the league’s national executive committee (NEC).
“My comrades had sole trust in me to ensure that Xolisani gets elected into the NEC as an additional member. It’s difficult to send anyone as a delegate because other comrades get easily swayed to vote for other people in exchange for cash,” she said.
My branch trust me and they knew I would lobby support for Xolani. It’s unfortunate that I did not make it to the conference.”
Malindi described Ngcunukana as a hero for risking her life to carry the mandate of her branch.
Malindi said: “We are really proud of her and that her child is well is a blessing.”
Aluta is growing well and yesterday she weighed 1.61kg.
“I am breast-feeding her and she is gaining weight each day. I am very excited. That’s what we are working towards, otherwise she is perfect health-wise,” Ngcunukana said.
Her sister Andiswa Sompeta, who is based in Reeston, East London, said she was proud of her younger sister.
“I could not believe it when I heard Tiny went to the conference even though she was so heavily pregnant. That’s how committed she is to the ANC,” Sompeta said.
“We are all excited that both of them are doing well.”
Sompeta said she had given Aluta another name, Qhawe, which means hero.
“They are both heroes indeed,” Sompeta said. — zineg@dispatch.co.za
ANCYL miracle bus baby hailed a hero
Tiny Ngcunukana, an ANC Youth League activist, gave birth to baby Aluta (which means the struggle continues) in the bus toilet last Friday. Both mother and baby are still at Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein.
Aluta, who was born prematurely, weighed just 1.4kg at birth. Ngcunukana, who is kangaroo mothering, told the Saturday Dispatch they could only be transferred to a hospital closer to her Lusikisiki home when Aluta weighed 1.8kg.
“Nurses say even though she is healthy, she is still too young to be able to travel such a long distance,” 29-year-old Ngcunukana, of Emcombothini village near Lusikisiki, said.
Ngcunukana was among 390 delegates from across the province meant to represent the ANC youth at the elective conference held at Gallagher Estates, Johannesburg.
She said: “I knew I was due only in October and so taking the trip to the Youth League conference was not necessarily a risk as far as I was concerned.
“I was shocked when I realised I was about to give birth while in the bus toilet.
“But what matters most is that even though I gave birth too early, and my child is still underweight, she is growing well each day and I’m sure we will be out of here soon.”
Ngcunukana was the sole branch delegate to the conference for Ingquza Hill’s ward 21.
She carried a mandate to lobby support for her branch chairman Xolisani Malindi to form part of the league’s national executive committee (NEC).
“My comrades had sole trust in me to ensure that Xolisani gets elected into the NEC as an additional member. It’s difficult to send anyone as a delegate because other comrades get easily swayed to vote for other people in exchange for cash,” she said.
My branch trust me and they knew I would lobby support for Xolani. It’s unfortunate that I did not make it to the conference.”
Malindi described Ngcunukana as a hero for risking her life to carry the mandate of her branch.
Malindi said: “We are really proud of her and that her child is well is a blessing.”
Aluta is growing well and yesterday she weighed 1.61kg.
“I am breast-feeding her and she is gaining weight each day. I am very excited. That’s what we are working towards, otherwise she is perfect health-wise,” Ngcunukana said.
Her sister Andiswa Sompeta, who is based in Reeston, East London, said she was proud of her younger sister.
“I could not believe it when I heard Tiny went to the conference even though she was so heavily pregnant. That’s how committed she is to the ANC,” Sompeta said.
“We are all excited that both of them are doing well.”
Sompeta said she had given Aluta another name, Qhawe, which means hero.
“They are both heroes indeed,” Sompeta said. — zineg@dispatch.co.za
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