At the mercy of venom

Villagers here have experienced a tragically frenetic few weeks. Two women have died in separate incidents, one bitten by a snake and the other by a scorpion. Bakgatla are finding it difficult to trust their health care providers.

A final year university student was recently buried after dying from a snakebite, which many believe should have been treatable. Her death could have been avoided, relatives say, had the health care system not let her down.