Westbury community protests at clinic after mom, child die at facility

Thirty-two-year-old Miriam Singh went to Westbury Clinic on Sunday to deliver her child but never returned home.

The Community of Westbury gathered outside the Westbury Primary Healthcare clinic on 31 December 2024 in protest of the death of Miriam Singh, who had gone to the clinic on Sunday to give birth. The circumstances around her death remain unknown. Picture: Jabulile Mbatha/EWN

JOHANNESBURG - The Westbury community in Joburg is protesting outside the area's local clinic on Tuesday following the death of a mother and her unborn child at the facility.

Thirty-two-year-old Miriam Singh went to Westbury Clinic on Sunday to deliver her child but never returned home.

According to her family, clinic management has not been forthcoming on the circumstances that led to the deaths.

The residents of Westbury are visibly angry as they chant, "We want justice" for the death Singh.

This is while the gates of the clinic remain shut, and law enforcement agents surround the area.

Singh's partner, Chris Goliath, said that not a single health practitioner from the clinic had come out to address them.

He said he was having a difficult time coming to terms with the death of his partner and child.

"Today, honestly it's worse, this morning it got me. I didn't sleep again, I've been crying the whole night through and this morning as well. Like I said, today it's worse, far worse."

The protesters are calling for the department of health to address them.