SUMMER JACOBS
The City of Cape Town has awarded MyCiTi station manager Xolani Stofile with a certificate of appreciation for delivering a baby boy at a Table View MyCiTi station.
Mr Stofile helped commuter Monica Chirwa deliver a healthy baby boy on Monday March 14 (“MyCiTi staffer delivers baby”, Tabletalk, March 23).
Mr Stofile, who has first aid experience, kept a cool head and was ready to assist Ms Chirwa when her waters broke while she was waiting for a MyCiTi bus at the Omuramba station in Phoenix.
He received his certificate at the Civic Centre MyCiTi station in Cape Town from the City’s mayoral committee member for transport, Brett Herron.
Mr Stofile said he was not supposed to have been at the Omuramba station that day.
“I was doing station visits because there was some disgruntlement in Phoenix with the taxi strikes. I was there for about 10 minutes when the security knocked on the kiosk’s door to say there was a woman in pain. I gave her the radio to call for an ambulance which she did but about 30 seconds later she came knocking again saying the lady was in severe pain. I heard her screaming and I left the kiosk,” said Mr Stofile.
He said when he approached Ms Chirwa her water had broke and the few people standing around scattered. “There were two men who literary ran out of the station to across the road. Even the women were scared,” he said bewildered.
Mr Stofile ordered someone to get gloves from the first-aid kit in the kiosk. When he checked to see how far Ms Chirwa was dilated, he was surprised to see the baby’s entire head emerging.
“I did not know what to do but it was God’s work,” he said.
The baby was delivered just after 1pm and taken, along with his mother, to Somerset Hospital.
Ms Chirwa and her husband, Brown, named their second child Gilbert. They braved the cold to support Mr Stofile when he received his certificate last Friday.
Ms Chirwa said she experienced no labour pains before reaching the station that day. When the pain started, she thought she might be able to walk to a hospital but there was no time.
“He helped me a Iot. Everyone ran away. I don’t know what I would have done if he was not there,” she said.
Mr Herron said the City was extremely proud of Mr Stofile who “stepped up like a professional ‘mid-husband’”.
“Xolani has been with the MyCiTi service for over three years now. He is the first staff member to receive a certificate of appreciation from AEM, the station management company contracted to manage the MyCiTi stations on behalf of Transport for Cape Town, the City’s transport authority. It is important that we acknowledge and honour the personnel who go beyond the call of duty in ensuring the safety and comfort of the MyCiTi commuters,’ he said.
