The continuing situation faced by unemployed doctors is reaching crisis point, with some saying the government is “holding them hostage”, and others, who are desperate, even contemplating suicide, reports The Citizen.
Dr Raeesa Kathrada, from North Beach in Durban, and a member of the KZN Unemployed Doctors Association, said the state was “using our allegiance to our own oath we took to preserve lives”, pointing to the contradictory evidence of a dire shortage of doctors and yet a lack of vacancies.
She said she continues to receive many messages from her distressed colleagues, with a number of them even considering ending their lives, and was saddened by the overproduction of doctors aspiring to enter the field under the false pretext that medicine “is a glorious career”.
“The number of doctors sitting at home is rocketing. We are spiralling into depression…. We’ve completed our degrees, internship and community service, but we’re now sitting idle at home…it’s a heavy burden to bear.”
Most could barely sustain themselves via irregular locum work, she added.
She has seen first-hand the pressure faced by public hospitals, including shortages of staff, limited medication and beds, cheap labour, and work overload.
“Even after your CV looks like an encyclopaedia, with added advanced courses, there is no guarantee for placement.”
KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane, during her department’s budget speech in July, said that despite severe financial constraints, the department has invested in its workforce by filling critical vacancies.
“Since October 2025, we have appointed 188 medical officers, 43 medical specialists, 197 professional nurses, 242 staff nurses, 25 pharmacists, and 20 registrars. In the coming weeks, we will advertise a further 39 medical officer posts,” she said.
The department went on to advertise 50 medical officer positions – closing date was end-August – but Kathrada described the number as “insulting”.
She said at least 7 918 applications would probably have been received for the 50 posts, and that the ideal, consistent number of advertised posts annually should be at least 350.
The Citizen article – Unemployed doctors ‘stuck on dark road’ (Open access)
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