The Public Servant’s Association (PSA) has called on the Human Rights Commission to intervene in a crisis at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, which is battling with water supply problems, among other issues.
The provincial Health Department, which has been accused of human rights abuses, said it has implemented contingency measures, including water tankers while working with eThekwini Municipality to sort out the water supply.
However, the PSA’s provincial manager Mlungisi Ndlovu said members had additional issues, including a lack of equipment and medication and staff shortages.
“It seems as if the government, the Department of Health and the municipality are not working together,” Ndlovu told the SABC. “They don’t understand the critical point, that’s why we are saying where is the Human Rights Commission? Because it’s a humanitarian issue here. Where is the Public Protector? They have a responsibility to take action.”
The municipality said it was treating “with utmost priority the water supply challenge” but that the city had experienced an increase in water demand since the start of summer, resulting in low pressure and no water supply in critical points across supply systems.
It added that that the demand for water was higher than the available water supply across the city.
However, the union has been complaining for years about conditions at the hospital, including the under-staffing and water issues.
SABC article – Prince Mshiyeni Hospital in KZN hit by alleged human rights abuses (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Fed-up union wants action from Health MEC on Umlazi Hospital
Umlazi hospital’s taps flowing again
Umlazi hospital patients and staff struggle with water outage