Publications
Partners
- Unakho Kewana, 18, has died from lung failure.
- She has been on oxygen support since she was 15.
- Her family says every time there was a power cut, she had to be rushed to hospital.
An Eastern Cape teenager who relied on an electricity-powered oxygen supply to stay alive, has died from lung failure, her family said.
The plight of 18-year-old Unakho Kewana tugged at the nation's heartstrings last month when she appealed for a solar-powered oxygen supply in order to beat power cuts.
Unakho died at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital on Wednesday from long-term lung complications.
Her weakened lungs had forced her to drop out of Grade 9 in 2019, shattering her dreams of becoming a lawyer.
On Friday, her family revealed that doctors had said Unakho had been suffering from depression.
The family and close friends believe the depression was caused by load shedding because Unakho hated being rushed to hospital for oxygen support every time there were power cuts in her NU13 Mdantsane area.
READ | Eastern Cape teen needs solar-powered oxygen system that could save her during load shedding
Her aunt Ntombizanele Kwenane said: “We knew the load shedding schedule and whenever it was close to the scheduled hour for the power to cut off, [she] would panic and start sweating and shaking because so many things could go wrong. She knew that should she not make it on time to hospital in NU6, she would take her last breath."
Kwenane said that sometimes, after the power had been restored, Unakho would return home by ambulance or taxi, only for the electricity to cut off again a few minutes after the transport had left.
Kwenane said:
Seeing a patient on oxygen support die in front of her in hospital recently had affected Unakho’s emotional state too, said Kwenane.
Unakho will be buried next Saturday.
Children’s rights advocacy group Khula Community Development Project has called on the government to fix the energy crisis, saying load shedding was destroying lives.
ALSO READ | Powering it forward: Backup device gifted to teacher whose business was shut down by load shedding
The project’s director Petros Majola was at the forefront of a drive to get Unakho a sponsored solar-powered oxygen supply.
He said a businesswoman in Mthatha and a generator company in East London had been planning to donate a new generator at the time of Unakho's death.
Majola said: “The power cuts had a negative impact on Unakho’s emotional well-being because every time the load shedding neared she cried. Eskom should understand that the implementation of load shedding is causing a lot of damage to lives and livelihoods."
The family is struggling to bury Ukhona and hopes the public can assist.
