The national Department of Health has confirmed that they have no record of the delivery of decuplets in Gauteng.
News of the #Tembisa10 gained local and international attention after Pretoria News reported that Gosiame Sithole had birthed a record-breaking ten babies.
Read more: A Gauteng woman has broken a world record by giving birth to 10 babies
However, as the story began to gain traction, cracks emerged in all areas, from family statements, to journalistic reports.
Read also: Confirmed: #Tembisa10 are not real
Popo Maja said the following on Friday:
“It cannot be that ten or eight babies are born and that no evidence of their whereabouts or existence can be established.”
“Given the magnitude of the allegations, we invite Independent Media, which has insinuated wrongdoing on the part of health professionals and the government, to assist Ms [Gosiame Thamara] Sithole to pursue a complaint with the Health Ombudsman for the alleged mistreatment of the patient at any health facility.”
IOL released a report on Thursday, June 17, stating that the denial of the birth of the decuplets was all part of a campaign to “cover-up” medical negligence that involved any politicians and public servants.
The national Department of Health noted its disappointment over backlash directed at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, “one of our best hospitals in the country”, by Independent Media.
Read also: #Tembisa10 a ‘cover-up of mammoth proportions,’ says Independent Media
All allegations made against the government and any healthcare professionals are being taken seriously.
The department has added and confirmed that there is no record of the delivery of the decuplets in any public health facility in Gauteng.
Read also: #Thembisa10 births denied by Mediclinic – cracks of contradiction emerge
“The results of our preliminary investigation once again confirmed that there were no decuplets in the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, as well as there was no way that Tshwane District Hospital, that is not even capacitated to deliver twins, can deliver 10 babies,” the department said.
Sithole’s lawyer, Refiloe Mokoena confirmed that her client is now a patient of the social development department and was taken to hospital for evaluation.
Read also: #Tembisa 10: Mother seeks urgent court interdict after psychological evaluation
Meanwhile, the entire debacle has thrown the integrity of journalism under the bus, with the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) saying it was outraged by the “complete collapse” of journalistic ethics and standards in the reporting by Independent Media.
There are many lessons in this for journalism that require introspection and reflection. But… it is also a lesson for the public to be more discerning. Red flags were up immediately and those of us who dared question were abused and berated for doubting.
— Mandy Wiener (@MandyWiener) June 15, 2021
Read all: #Tembisa10 Mother takes her turn to speak up – where is the truth?
Picture: Cape Town Etc gallery