Johannesburg - The Tembisa Community Forum (TCF) and other stakeholders held a march to Tembisa Hospital where the services are alleged to have worsened since a disturbing video of patients in the hospital’s casualty sleeping on the floor unattended, did the rounds in December 2022.
Tembisa Community Forum Secretary Phindile Nene said, “Residents of Tembisa were submitting a memorandum of grievances at Tembisa Hospital, led by the Tembisa Community Forum and other stakeholders such as Tembisa neighbourhood, SDUF and Operation Dududula, Tembisa branch.”
The group that marched to the hospital was met by the acting CEO of the hospital, Dr Mohlamme Mathabate, who also received the memorandum on behalf of the hospital.
Nene said, “There were so many reasons leading to this march including mismanagement of the hospital, poor service, corruption and unfair HR practice.
“In the memorandum, we are calling for them to relook at the supply chain/procurement/tender and quality assurance processes. We are also calling for the improvement of the hospital plan on issues of concern, staff capacity and other areas such as the casualty area.”
The TCF, which was leading the community in the march held on Friday, had been in talks with the hospital’s management since the release of the gruesome video last year and has received other information regarding the state and services at the hospital, however, these talks later collapsed.
“It’s been so long since the issues at the hospital began but since late last year the situation has gotten worse and on 15 December, 2022, a video circulated of Tembisa Hospital casualty where patients were sleeping on the floor unattended and the MEC for health came to the hospital and dismissed the video, saying that it was staged, and that left the residents dissatisfied because it meant there would be no change.
“That was many people’s reality at the hospital. We have since been engaging with the hospital’s management but they have no solution for the current situation.”
The groups have said that they hope to see an improvement plan that will address the various issues at the hospital, such as the overcrowding in the institution and the stretched staff, among many others.
Furthermore, they hope to see the total disbandment of the current board as change needs to start at the top.
“We are looking for an urgent response within 24 hours. We are not gonna count weekends because this is not a normal memorandum and the state of the hospital is a matter of urgency,” said Nene.
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