Snenhlanhla Khoza, 31, from Mtubatuba in KwaZulu-Natal, has gone viral after developing a condition that has caused rapid and premature ageing since the age of 27. Image: @admin
Snenhlanhla Khoza, a 31-year-old woman from Mtubatuba on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, has gone viral after developing a condition that causes accelerated ageing. Doctors suspect she may have Werner syndrome, a rare genetic disorder with no known cure. Traditional healers have offered a different explanation. Her story has sparked reactions from across South Africa and as far as Kenya.
A young woman from the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal is urgently appealing for help after developing a mysterious condition that has caused her body to age at a rate far beyond her years. Snenhlanhla Khoza is 31 years old. She looks considerably older. And despite consulting both medical doctors and traditional healers, she has found no relief and no answers that have been able to stop the progression of her condition.
When It Began
Khoza first began noticing unusual changes to her body at the age of 27. What started as a patch on her face quickly developed into something far more serious. Severe vomiting followed. Intense body pains became part of her daily reality. And her physical appearance began to change at an alarming rate, with her body showing signs of ageing that bore no relation to her actual age.
In the years since those first symptoms appeared, her condition has continued to worsen. She has sought help wherever she could find it, but nothing has worked. She is still looking for answers.
What the Doctors Told Her
Medical practitioners who examined Khoza informed her that she was suffering from a rare genetic condition. They told her there was no known cure. Based on the nature of her symptoms, online medical commentary has pointed to Werner syndrome as a possible explanation for what Khoza is experiencing.
Werner syndrome is an extremely rare inherited disorder in which the body ages at a dramatically accelerated rate, typically beginning in a person’s twenties. Those affected often develop conditions normally associated with elderly individuals while still relatively young, including significant changes to the skin, bone loss and other complications. The condition is caused by a mutation in a specific gene and affects approximately one in one million people globally. There is currently no cure.
It is important to note that no formal confirmed clinical diagnosis has been issued by a named medical professional at the time of publication. The Werner syndrome suggestion is based on online medical commentary rather than an officially confirmed diagnosis.
What Traditional Healers Told Her
Khoza also turned to traditional healers in search of help. Their explanation differed significantly from that of the medical practitioners. Traditional healers told Khoza that her condition was the result of ilumbo, a term used within certain Southern African traditional belief systems to describe a form of spiritual harm allegedly directed at a person by another individual. The healers told her the affliction had come from a former romantic partner.
Neither the medical nor the traditional explanations have led to any improvement in her condition.
The Reaction From Kenya
Khoza’s story spread beyond South African social media when users began drawing comparisons between her appearance and that of Charlene Ruto, the daughter of Kenyan President William Ruto. Charlene Ruto is 33 years old, two years older than Khoza. The visual comparison between two women of similar age highlighted the dramatic physical impact of Khoza’s condition and generated significant reactions among Kenyan social media users. Some expressed sympathy. Others used the comparison as a basis for political commentary about the Ruto family. The story has since circulated widely across multiple countries.
She Needs Help
Behind the viral attention is a young woman from a small town on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal who is watching her health deteriorate and has not been able to access the level of medical care and specialist attention her condition requires. Snenhlanhla Khoza is asking for help.
Anyone with information about medical specialists, institutions or organisations that may be in a position to assist her is encouraged to share this story and make contact through available community channels.
Editors Note The information in this article is based on reports circulating on social media and online platforms. A formal confirmed clinical diagnosis for Snenhlanhla Khoza had not been issued by a named medical professional at the time of publication. The suggestion of Werner syndrome is based on online medical commentary and not a confirmed diagnosis. Mzansi Today Live will update this article if further verified information becomes available. This article is published in the interest of raising awareness and assisting Khoza in accessing the help she needs.