RSA to take care of Malawian baby delivered in a bus

The Malawi General Consulate in South Africa has thanked the South African community for the support rendered to Malawians who were stranded for a month in Benoni in the country after the bus they were travelling in broke down several times.

Representative from Malawi Embassy, Grace Mainala, thanked the Benoni community for their support.

Mainala made the remarks at Northfield Methodist church when she was representing the Malawi Embassy at a funeral of Jones Ndlovu‚ one of the twins nicknamed the “Tom Jones twins” who were born prematurely when the bus in which their mother was travelling in broke down.

“We are very thankful for the community of Benoni‚ the Salvation Army and the South African government for everything they did for Mercy and the other 36 passengers on the bus. We have received a sponsor who bought Mercy a plane ticket back to Malawi once her other son is medically fit for them to go home,” Mainala said.

Jones Ndlovu‚ one of the twins nicknamed the “Tom Jones twins” because they were delivered on Tom Jones road in Benoni‚ died three days after his birth.

He was honoured on Tuesday by close family members and community members.

The mood inside the Northfield Methodist church was sombre as each guest said words of encouragement to the twins’ mother‚ Malawian national Mercy Ndlovu‚ 21‚ who was stone-faced as the first part of the funeral service proceeded.

Mercy who wore a dark brown two-piece skirt and jacket with her face covered with a black scarf broke down and wept when Jones’ tiny body was taken out of the church to the hearse.

She was surrounded by family members including her cousin‚ Febbie Harawa‚ who said the young mother had not been coping well since losing her baby. “She has been sad and heartbroken since last week Thursday.

She hasn’t been eating but I keep forcing her to eat so that she can be strong for her other child‚ Tom,” Harawa said.

Jones’ twin brother Tom is currently under care at the Oliver Tambo Memorial Hospital in Benoni‚ Ekurhuleni.

Meanwhile the South African government has assured the Embassy of Malawi that it will take care of the baby in the hospital and his mother.

The Government added that it has allocated a doctor to look after the mother of the twins until she gets better.