- Rain Queen Masalanabo Modjadji VII hosted her first annual race to raise funds for beds, maternity wards and children’s healthcare at Kgapane Hospital.
- Hundreds of residents joined the five and 10 kilometre races as the Department of Health confirmed medicine supply shortages across South Africa.
Rain Queen Masalanabo Modjadji VII has stepped forward to help sick children and new mothers by hosting a race to raise money for Kgapane Hospital in Limpopo.
The young Balobedu queen launched the first Rain Queen Masalanabo Modjadji Annual Race on Saturday, 24 October, bringing hundreds of community members together for a good cause.
Runners took part in five and 10 kilometre races, with proceeds going towards improving hospital beds, maternity and children’s wards and maintenance at the hospital.
The idea came after Queen Masalanabo visited Kgapane Hospital in August.
During her visit, she spent time in the maternity, postnatal and children’s wards, where she met mothers and their babies.
After seeing the hospital’s needs, she decided to do something to help.
On race day, Queen Masalanabo officially launched the event by cutting a ribbon before participants took to the road.
Members of the royal family joined her, along with Mopani District Municipality Mayor Dagma Mamanyoha, representatives from Greater Letaba Municipality and hundreds of residents.
The race comes at a time when South Africa is dealing with shortages of some medicines.
The country’s death rate for children younger than five stands at 35.1 per 1,000 births, according to figures cited in the report.
In September, the Department of Health assured South Africans that medicine supplies remained stable and urged people not to panic.
However, department spokesperson Foster Mohale confirmed to Scrolla.Africa that the country was experiencing shortages of some medicines.
He said several problems, including tensions between countries around the world, were affecting supplies.
Mohale said the government was providing alternative medicines when patients could not get their usual treatment.
“Bottom line is that our people are receiving medication, if the medication they were getting is not in stock, there is an alternative which we offer,” he said.
He said patients who needed treatment or contraceptives were still receiving alternatives.
Mohale said these arrangements would continue while the department worked towards a lasting solution.
For Queen Masalanabo, the race is a way of helping the community she leads.
Although she does not have children of her own, her visit to the hospital showed her the needs of mothers and babies who depend on public healthcare.
The annual race is intended to support improvements at Kgapane Hospital and bring the Balobedu community together to help those who need care.
