Last Thursday was an emotional day for Breidbach Clinic staff, committee board members and the community, as they bid farewell to operational manager Sister Yoliswa Qamba at a special function at the facility.

Picture: DESMOND COETZEE
Qamba, who has been part of the Breidbach Clinic since April 2015, was described by her colleagues as devoted, passionate and strict, and someone who always had the best interests of the community and clients at heart.
Qamba has found a post closer to her home at Empilisweni Community Clinic in East London.
“Everyone who knows her would agree that she is a hard worker who is dedicated to her job and always went the extra mile,” clinic committee secretary Stacey Gosling said.
“We appreciate her for her dedication, hard work, commitment and passion to our community, as she always went beyond the call of duty.”
Committee chairperson Desmond Coetzee echoed Gosling’s sentiments and added he still found it difficult to grasp that Qamba would no longer be at the facility.
“It all came to me as a shock as I find it hard just to know that Sister Qamba will no longer be in her office where we engaged on so many occasions,” he said.
“Even the day when she called to inform me about the sad news, it didn’t register as I thought she was just pulling my leg.
“We are really saddened by your departure and will never forget the positive changes you brought to this community.”
Prudence Perrins, one of Qamba’s regular clients, said she could not stop crying when she heard the news.
“Thank you for always showing us love, your positive attitude towards your job has kept us going and I can clearly say that nursing is not just a job to you but a calling,” Perrins said. Qamba said the trust and respect the community had put in her had created a strong bond between them, even though the time had come for her to leave.
“My heart is still broken but the circumstances demand I move on and I believe I have left my footprints,” she said.
Qamba added it was a great pleasure working with such a focussed and committed staff.
“Without the support of the clinic committee, I wouldn’t have gone so far.
“They were always kind and generous, to the betterment of the community.”
She also mentioned that the community health workers at the clinic were busy conducting door-to-door visits for household registrations.
“This profiling helps with bringing services to communities and identifying social problems out there.
“Social workers will use the information to manage social problems and needs such as households with no income whereby grants could be implemented or food parcels provided,” Qamba said.
Recalling one of her fondest moments, she said: “During an outreach to Siyathemba Village we were called to assist a crippled man and my tears were rolling the moment I saw him crawling on the floor.
“With the assistance of my chairperson, we managed to get a new wheelchair donated to him from the KWT Lions Club, who also built a ramp a few days before Christmas.”