Gauteng Health pushes awareness as Malaria remains a concern in the province
Mapaballo Borotho
- Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has warned residents about rising Malaria cases in the province.
- Residents are urged to seek medical attention immediately if they show symptoms after travelling to high-risk areas.
- Ekurhuleni remains the most affected district, with cases linked to travel to Malaria-endemic regions.
Gauteng residents have been urged to take Malaria seriously and seek immediate medical help when experiencing common symptoms.
This call comes after the Gauteng MEC for Health, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, hosted the SADC Malaria Day 2025 provincial commemoration at Makause Informal Settlement in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, on Thursday.
The event aimed to educate and inform communities about the disease, focusing on prevention, symptoms, and the importance of early detection.
The commemoration brought together healthcare professionals, local stakeholders, community health workers, and residents to strengthen awareness and encourage proactive health-seeking behaviour.
Although Gauteng is not a Malaria-endemic province, the rise in imported and travel-related cases has become a concern, particularly in high-risk areas such as Ekurhuleni.
“Malaria is preventable. Malaria is treatable. Malaria can kill, but it doesn’t have to,” said MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko. “If you have travelled to a Malaria area and start experiencing fever, chills, headaches, vomiting or body pain, don’t guess, don’t wait. Go to your nearest clinic or hospital immediately.”
Nkomo-Ralehoko emphasised that Ekurhuleni remains one of the districts with the highest incidence of Malaria in Gauteng, recording 25 cases per 100 000 people between January 2022 and December 2024.
The rise in these cases is mainly attributed to travel to endemic areas such as Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi during the festive and Easter seasons.
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