MBOMBELA -The Department of Health has decided to temporarily closed Sabie Hospital because of the protests that have been ravaging the area.
Community members took to the streets earlier this week to demand electricity supply and land. They closed roads, businesses and schools, further bringing the town to its knee’s.
According to the spokesman for the department,Mr Dumisani Malamule, medical staff coming to work were being threatened by the protesters.
“We took the decision to close the hospital for the safety of patients and medical staff. If medical staff are unable to access the hospital the patients will not get any assistance,” he said.
Malamule said that the patients who were taken to various other hospitals in the province and they were receiving the necessary medical help.
He added that the decision to temporatily close the hospital came after long engagements with the families of the patients and they were satisfied with the arrangement.
“We were concerned that the medical staff would be trapped on the way while patients were seeking help from them,” he added.
Malamule also mentioned that the department was monitoring the situation to see when it be would be safe to reopen the hospital.
