Suspension of guards stationed at hospital

Five security guards who were stationed at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital were suspended from duty by the company they work for shortly after the DA made findings on “dumped” medical equipment public earlier this week.

DA Limpopo leader, Jacques Smalle said this action demonstrated the department of health’s wish to conceal the alleged dumping of medical equipment. However, department spokesperson Adéle van der Linde said the security guards were suspended by the company they work for and not by the department. “They do not work for the department and I cannot speak for the security company, but can confirm that the department did raise its concern with the security company on the way access was granted to the DA and media without the proper clearance,” Van der Linde said. She added that the department had a very good relationship with the media and if needed, access would be granted to them for the taking of photos, but this had to go through the correct channels.

These reactions follow the DA’s inspection of the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital recently, where Smalle said he was shocked to discover piles of medical equipment such as wheelchairs, beds, incubators, trolleys, and photocopy machines that had been dumped behind the hospital. “Medical equipment was just dumped, while patients in the province go without basics like beds, baby incubators and wheelchairs,” he said. He added that the equipment appeared to have only minor defects and in some cases appeared to be in perfectly good shape. Smalle further said this was especially true of the hospitals in the deep rural areas of Limpopo. “We want to see first-class hospitals and service delivery in the province,” he said.

Van der Linde said what the DA observed at the hospital grounds was part of the department’s assets unit.

“This is where equipment from all over the province is sent for repairs. It is not a dumping site as no waste is being deposited there. Most of the equipment is indeed repairable and that is the very reason why it is taken there and not disposed of,” she said.

The DA then attempted to remove some of the equipment from the premises in order to have it repaired, but were prevented from doing so. The DA called for an urgent meeting with the health MEC, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, which was granted.

Smalle said according to the MEC, she did not have a problem with the DA taking any equipment to be repaired and further said Smalle should feel free to visit the hospital anytime.

Smalle said he had made some suggestions to the MEC about the state of other hospitals in Limpopo and she gave him her personal number in order to open communication with him and to keep him in the loop when issues were raised.