Njabulo Dlamini hopes raises awareness about kidney disease

Added: 2026-05-11

[00:00:00]What began as a young man's dream to change his family's future has become a relentless battle for survival.

[00:00:08]During his first year at university, Njabulo Dlamini began experiencing troubling symptoms linked to a condition he did not yet understand. One that would later change his life forever.

[00:00:21]Enrolled at varsity, uh Vet University, 2020, I was 20 years old. So, around October, November, start noticing different changes in my body. I would like I started getting swollen on my face and feet. And I was having hard time with breathing cuz when I was sleeping, I couldn't breathe. As his condition deteriorated, Dlamini desperately searched for answers.

[00:00:46]He sought help from clinics, hospitals, and churches hoping to find relief from the illness that was slowly taking over his body.

[00:00:56]When those efforts failed to bring improvement, he turned to traditional healers in search of hope, but instead, his condition worsened. I went to Hillbrow Hospital. They told me that I had elevated high blood pressure.

[00:01:11]Ngasuka lapha, I went to church looking for help. Basically, I went to different hospitals, different clinics before I went to a traditional healer. The traditional healer bebengiphimisa, ya wo.

[00:01:26]Like I had different bottles of traditional herbs. Bebizimbiza.

[00:01:31]Bamfakelimbiza yama 3 L, different ones. I different imbiza yokuhlengigazi, imbiza yokwenzani ukuhlengizintso, in oh. Enhliziyo, like I used to consume all of them at once.

[00:01:46]Every night, like I have to drink. In the morning, I have to drink. In the middle of the day, I have to drink, like how you would consume your medication, ya wo.

[00:01:55]So, it didn't work. Remember, I'm still consuming these things, ne? And I don't pass urine. What happens? I'm becoming more swollen.

[00:02:03]More swollen, cuz I'm putting more liquid in my body. I do not pass urine.

[00:02:07]The kidneys are not working. In January 2021, Jabulani finally received the answers he had been searching for. But, they were not what he had hoped for.

[00:02:19]He was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure, also known as stage five chronic kidney disease, a life-threatening condition that permanently altered the course of his life. So, I reach in Baragwanath Hospital, they do all those tests, eh code, they check my heart. After that, figure what doctor woman, nine doctors they come to my table. They ask me what's happening with me, what have I been drinking, you know, they tell me what they want, you have been diagnosed with kidney disease. Me, I thought it was something that can be healed, you know, like I will be just be given medication.

[00:02:56]Six years later, Jabulani is living openly with the condition and using his story to raise awareness. preferred dying instead of living, you know, with dialysis, cuz I felt like what's the point of saving us, cuz eventually we going to die, you know, until I've accepted the living condition that I'm living under, you know, cuz when you have this question of why me, why me, you always going to get depressed. You have to make peace.

[00:03:25]Jabulani's story is one shared by thousands of South Africans still waiting for a second chance at life. It serves as a call for a greater awareness of organ donation and the life-saving impact it can have on countless South Africans. For Newsroom Africa Channel 405, I am Nozibho Khaba in Johannesburg.