The SA Sports Commission has prepared a malaria warning to all its team-members who competed in the recent All Africa Games in Nigeria after the death of assistant national handball team manager Mthandazo Miya on Thursday.
Dan Moyo, an official of the Sports Commission that took the South African team to the Games in Abuja, Nigeria, last month, told Kaya FM on Friday that the commission was in the process of compiling a warning to all members of the South African team.
There have apparently been reports of a number of competitors at Abuja suffering from malaria-like symptoms, including headaches, fever, vomiting and stomach cramps.
A warning was sent to South Africa after the death of two Egyptian competitors this week. Members of the South Africa team who have been treated for malaria this week by team doctor Sello Motaung include Sports Commission CEO Joe Phaahla and soccer player Makhosonke Bengu.
Volleyball players who have been treated for malaria are Irvin Solomons, Kirsten Smit and coach Kathleen van Brussel.
Pretoria-based Anton Moolman was also treated. Handball players Themba Nkambule and Kgomotso Motetsoe, who are based in Sweden, arrived in that country ill after the games and were immediately treated for malaria.
Miya was born in Soweto in 1968 where she emerged as a promising netball player at Soweto Hearts. She gained vast experience abroad and was on the verge of taking over as national coach from Vlatko Martincevec when was she struck by malaria. Miya leaves her five-year-old son Njabulo and her husband Nelson Mashathu.
Anti-malaria precautions were taken by the team before and during their stay in Abuja, which is a high-risk malaria area. – Sapa