Our school, Sithumani Primary, is situated at the foot of the Ribolla Hills, an extension of the Soutpansberg Range, in the Limpopo province.
On a rather cool but sunny July morning last year Miss Dhlomo joined our Grade 6 class in the vegetable garden to assist with the watering of the plants. The pupils are relaxed here, cracking jokes and asking questions. That was the mood until Miss Dhlomo was stung by a black scorpion between the thumb and finger of her right hand as she tried to move a stone. Her screams penetrated everyone’s heart. I shouted some instructions to my learners and a few minutes later we were on our way to the hospital in my old but trusty Volkswagen.
I was worried. Ancient wisdom dictates that as long as the
scorpion is alive and in motion, the sting will swell and the
poison spread. Science says it is advantageous to bring it along to the hospital so that proper medication can be administered. The scorpion had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
I drove in silence with Miss Dhlomo sobbing. I would occasionally take her hand and rub it against my chin — African first aid for bites and stings.
The nursing sisters at the hospital took charge when we arrived. Later that evening, I visited her in the ward. Looking serene in her hospital gown she smiled at me and said ‘Your chin saved my life”.
‘Well I think your hand responded accordingly,” I said.