HEALTH HAZARDS: Patients ‘left on floors’ as court interdict sought to halt Dora Nginza Hospital strike

The Eastern Cape Department of Health has sought an urgent interdict to halt an unlawful strike at Dora Nginza Provincial Hospital in Gqeberha, after scores of patients were left unattended when protesting staff abandoned wards and hallways, leaving heavily pregnant women – some awaiting caesarean sections – without care.

Among those most at risk, according to relatives, are patients in active labour. A family member of a woman admitted for a high-risk pregnancy said she had been waiting for more than 24 hours for an emergency caesarean section.

In a number of social media posts family members spoke of their fears, saying that patients were unattended and in need of procedures – but staff could not be found.

Patients ‘lying on the floor’

A video broadcast by eNCA on Friday showed patients unattended and lying on the floor at Dora Nginza, with claims of a dead body left in a ward. The footage was recorded by a visitor to the hospital.

On Friday, workers were seen singing inside the hospital building as they mobilised each other to converge for a mass meeting they hoped would be addressed by hospital management.

However, only one official from the management team and a labour relations practitioner met with the workers, and engagements collapsed as staff demanded a meeting with management.

A meeting with senior officials from the department of health and trade union leaders was then set for later on Friday afternoon.

Gradual collapse in health services

The strike comes against the backdrop of a gradual collapse in health services in Motherwell, where about six clinics have been affected by crime, safety concerns and staff shortages.

As a result, patients from these facilities have been redirected to Dora Nginza Hospital, a move that has placed additional pressure on staff already working irregular hours, contributing to fatigue and mental strain.

Eastern Cape Nehawu provincial secretary Mlu Ncapayi said the strike comes after the health department failed to act on last year’s recommendations by Kholeka Gcaleka, the Public Protector of South Africa (SA).

“After the Motherwell Community Health Centre (CHC) closed, all patients that used to go to that facility were transferred to Dora Nginza, which caused so much strain to staff who already work under difficult conditions. Now with the collapse of the rest of the clinics in that area, all the patients that were serviced in those clinics go to Dora Nginza, which overwhelms staff.”

Ncapayi said one of the recommendations included the reopening of the Motherwell CHC to relieve pressure from staff at Dora Nginza.

Other recommendations were:

• An implementation plan of the conversion of Empilweni TB Hospital to a district hospital;
• A detailed report which includes timelines, indicating how the critical shortage of medical and non-clinical staff will be addressed at Dora Nginza;
• A detailed plan indicating when the kitchen and laundry at Dora will be allocated according to the Revitalisation of Infrastructure Project, for which funds have been made available;
• The recruitment process for the vacant position of non-clinical staff at Dora is finalised; and
• A report which includes dates and timelines on how the provision of security inside the wards will be addressed.

Ncapayi said he has since learned from the media that the health department has gone to court to interdict the strike.

“This is what I’ve heard from other journalists that have called me, I haven’t heard anything from the department apart from the meeting this afternoon. Clearly the department will be negotiating in bad faith as they have also charged some of our members since the strike action started.

“If they will not retract those charges, we will have no choice but to approach the courts on Monday, as the department is in contempt of court for not implementing the recommendations of the Public Protector,” said Ncapayi.

The department confirmed that it has taken decisive action in response to the situation such as the ‘no work, no pay’ principle, cases of intimidation and harassment have been formally opened with the police and criminal charges are being pursued, where applicable, and an urgent interdict has been initiated to halt unlawful conduct, while precautionary suspensions are being effected in line with due process.

Strike action condemned

Health department spokesperson Siyanda Manana condemned the strike in a statement on Friday, stating that any disruption, particularly one that falls outside the legal framework governing labour relations potentially affects patients and could compromise access to critical services.

“The Department emphasises that such actions are not in the best interests of patients, communities, or the broader public health system. The Department remains fully aware of the concerns raised by staff.”

Manana indicated that while the concerns are legitimate and have been treated with urgency and seriousness, the department is clear that there are established, lawful processes through which such matters must be addressed.

“These processes were not followed prior to the commencement of the current strike action. The department remains open to engagement at all times but not under conditions of unlawful industrial action,” he said.

“The department reiterates that leadership within an essential service carries heightened responsibility. Mobilising or participating in unlawful strike action is not only irresponsible but may result in serious consequences, including dismissal. All necessary steps have been taken to maintain service continuity, including the redistribution of patients and reinforcement of staffing at operational facilities.” DM