17 May 2023

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has noted with serious concern, the blockage of the Pixley Ka-Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital gates with a truck-load of rubble this morning by a small group of aggrieved people who claim to represent the local community.

The group, which is known to the Department, stopped the truck driver and forced him to offload rubble in front of the hospital gates. They were demanding that the Department should employ them at the hospital, and that services that are outsourced be "given" to them.

The Department has had several meetings with representatives of the group about their grievances, and the Head of Department Dr Sandile Tshabalala is dealing with the matter.

The Department acknowledges that unemployment is rife and affects the entire country, including the people of Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu (INK), where the new hospital is situated.

The Department has nevertheless, on several occasions, and through various media platforms, communicated the recruitment processes that were followed in filling posts at the facility, including the fact that it received more than 500 000 applications, whereas it had just under 1500 available vacancies.

The Department further explained that it has finalised all the necessary steps in filling all the vacancies that were available.

Additionally, as part of the process of employing workers at this hospital, the Department ensured that the people of eThekwini received priority, particularly in the filling of labour-intensive and semi-skilled posts.

The Department will continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure stability at the facility.

ENDS