A grieving mother has raised concerns about the medical care her premature baby allegedly received before the infant died at Nelson Mandela Hospital, prompting calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
According to Ms Zisanda Fundama, she was admitted to Nelson Mandela Hospital on 10 June 2026 for an emergency Caesarean section due to complications related to her health. She said her baby was born prematurely and was admitted to the hospital’s High Care Unit.
During one of her visits to breastfeed her baby, Fundama alleges that she noticed swelling on the infant’s arm at the site where a drip had been inserted. She claims the concern was reported to a nurse but that she was informed there was nothing wrong. According to Fundama, the matter was raised again the following morning, after which the drip was removed.
Fundama further alleges that when she arrived at the hospital on 24 June 2026, she found that her baby was not receiving oxygen. She claims a nurse subsequently reconnected the oxygen supply. According to Fundama, she was then informed that the baby had allegedly not been receiving oxygen throughout the night.
The baby later died
Following the child’s death, Fundama called for answers regarding the medical care her baby received while at the hospital. She is also seeking a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death.
Department Given Opportunity to Respond
In the interest of fair and balanced reporting, ECNEWS LIVE submitted a formal media enquiry to the Eastern Cape Department of Health on 23 July 2026, requesting comment on the allegations and seeking clarification on whether an investigation had been initiated.
The publication subsequently followed up with departmental spokespersons after the response deadline had passed. One official advised that they were on study leave and referred the enquiry to another departmental spokesperson. Despite these efforts, no response had been received from the Eastern Cape Department of Health by the time of publication.
This article will be updated should the department provide a response.
Editor’s Note: The allegations contained in this article are those made by Ms Zisanda Fundama. They have not been independently verified by ECNEWS LIVE. The Eastern Cape Department of Health was afforded an opportunity to respond before publication but had not done so at the time this article was published.
