Nurses and cleaning staff gathered last Friday, with demands that ‘management must go’ due to the continued decay of working conditions and overdue compensation for overtime.

The Middelburg Observer reported last week that allegations of mismanagement were made by personnel, who complained that patients were left without water or bedding, that some staff members had still not received remuneration for overtime since April, as well as complaints of understaffing.

Informants from inside the hospital explained how nurses have to care for patients in deteriorating conditions, including intermittent and limited supply of hot water, as well as the fact that they had been provided with plastic disposable gowns to use as linen.

The informants assured that medical treatment was not being refused to patients, and that the gathering was done in the interest of patients.

Media spokesperson for the Department of Health, Christopher Nobela, confirmed that hospital employees had raised demands on payment of overtime, laundry challenges and infrastructure challenges during a meeting with the department.

“The department met with employees and their representative to discuss those issues, and we can indicate that engagements are continuing. The department is already processing some of the issues raised. Some of the issues will be addressed after today’s meeting. We can assure that the hospital is operational while engagements are taking place. The building of the new hospital was to address the challenges of the ageing hospital.”

Informants, meanwhile, have indicated that in the two meetings held yesterday and today, a conclusion has not yet been reached.

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‘Management must go!’ – nurses demand, amid decaying conditions