In their relentless effort to shred unemployment numbers, the KZN Unemployed Doctors Association (KZNUDA) last week met with the provincial government leadership.

The Premier of KZN Thamsanqa Ntuli “finally” lent an ear to the representatives of KZNUDA. He was accompanied by the health department management. Representing the doctors’ association were Dr Raeesa Kathrada, Dr Yanga Mbele, and Dr Simphiwe Sibiya.

Among issues on the table were: too few medical posts being released; existing vacant posts; frozen, rescinded and abolished posts; severe staffing shortages across public healthcare; and qualified doctors remaining unemployed, and yet ready to serve.

Also read: Unemployed doctors ‘stuck on dark road’

The association said it felt that the plight of unemployed doctors had to be escalated to the Office of the Premier, after “fruitless engagements with the health department”.

“A memorandum was handed over to the KZN Director-General, Nokuthula Mkhize, and we await her response. ⁠We remain hopeful that funding will be unlocked, vacant posts will be filled and qualified doctors will be employed,” KZNUDA said.

“Our message was simple: the unemployment of doctors is not merely an employment issue, it is a public healthcare issue. When hospitals and clinics operate with too few doctors, patients ultimately bear the consequences. Fewer doctors contribute to longer waiting times, increased pressure, heavier workloads for existing healthcare workers and delays in patients receiving appropriate care.

“We also raised concerns regarding the limited number of medical posts released directly by the Department of Health. The Department released only 20 posts and 50 posts. The additional 100 posts funded through Treasury should be distinguished from these departmental posts. Those 100 posts arose from a funding arrangement facilitated through the relevant office and were primarily utilised to absorb unemployed doctors from the 2024 cohort. They therefore did not materially address the employment needs of doctors who became unemployed following completion of community service in 2025.

“These vacancies do not include recent vacancies and it must also be considered alongside concerns of the frozen posts, rescinded posts and abolished posts, which directly affect the number of available doctors in the public health system,” she said.

Also read: KZN MEC for Health denies crisis in cancer treatment

The Premier directed that engagement continue between the association, the Director-General and the Head of the Department of Health, to explore practical solutions, which was welcomed by the KZNUDA.

“For some time, many unemployed doctors have felt unseen, unheard and stonewalled when attempting to raise these concerns through existing channels. We recognise that this engagement comes at a sensitive time for the Department of Health. However, we believe it is important to clarify that those at ground zero — patients, healthcare workers and unemployed doctors — must have a voice in the conversations affecting our public healthcare system.”

This week, KZN Health undertook what it deemed a “bold step to transform organisational culture and improve service delivery” through an initiative called Provincial Transformational Task Team (PTTT).
Led by the department’s HOD, Penny Msimango, the PTTT aims to improve the working environment for employees, enhance healthcare service, and address operational challenges.

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