Sabelo knew he had to keep it together. He couldn’t give way to anger – not when Winase needed help.

Tjhudu had rushed back to the hospital entrance and was shouting at a man there – someone from the hospital staff or a security guard, Sabelo couldn’t tell.

“If you won’t help this sick girl then you must take her in one of your ambulances to a regular hospital!” Tjhudu was raging.

“They are private ambulances,” the man answered him. “You must call for a state ambulan–”

“And wait hours!” Tjhudu yelled. “We’ve all heard the stories.”

“Bro, leave it!” Sabelo called to him. “Call Lolo’s mother, or get Lolo to call her, and ask where we must go.”

“Good thinking,” Tjhudu said, running back to the car with his phone already out.

He was right. Soon they had directions and were racing towards the hospital where Lolo’s mother worked. She was off-duty, but she said she would contact someone there to meet them and take Winase straight in.

Sabelo was still biting down on his rage. Man, if he was rich and powerful, he would so sue that crappy Johnny-come-lately private hospital for their refusal to help!

If he was rich and powerful, they wouldn’t have refused in the first place.

But he wasn’t. He was just an ordinary young South African man, in his first job, studying online and hoping for the best. People like him – what sort of comeback did they have?

And Winase, just out of school, still looking for work? Her parents could still help her with her medical expenses for now, but they weren’t young; Winase had been their laatlammetjie, born when her siblings were already grown up.

Her mother and father were both due to retire soon, and with only matric, could she get a job that would enable her to have either medical aid, or medical insurance?

***

Tell us what you think: Is Sabelo right about ordinary, poorer people not having any comeback when denied their rights?