SAPS Montclair is investigating an inquest docket after a patient allegedly doused herself with sanitiser before setting herself alight.
Captain Cheryl Pillay, communications officer of SAPS Montclair, said: “On Thursday, 24 October, Montclair Police attended to a complaint of a fire at Clairwood Hospital. It is alleged that a patient in the ward had doused herself with sanitiser before igniting it. The patient succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. During this incident, a part of the ward also caught fire. The fire department was on site, and police are currently investigating an inquest docket.”
Mlungisi Ndlovu, spokesperson for the Public Servants Association (PSA), expressed distress over the incident, describing it as a tragedy for both the patient and the institution. The PSA criticised the management of Clairwood Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, which operates under the oversight of RK Khan Hospital, for failing to adequately protect vulnerable patients and staff.
He said: “This tragic event claimed a life and raises serious concerns about the hospital’s capacity to safeguard vulnerable individuals in its care. Although the hospital staff responded efficiently by evacuating patients to prevent further casualties, this incident highlights a profound failure in the institution’s duty to ensure the safety and well-being of patients and employees.”
Ndlovu added that a swift response to a disaster is no substitute for preventative measures. “It is unacceptable that a patient in a psychiatric ward had access to hazardous materials. This oversight indicates a serious lapse in basic safety protocols, which must be immediately addressed,” he said.
The PSA is calling for urgent action, starting with a thorough overhaul of the hospital’s occupational health and safety (OHS) measures. Ndlovu emphasised the need for immediate, comprehensive OHS refresher training for all staff and management levels, adding, “Adherence to OHS regulations must be consistent and rigorously enforced. This is a matter of life and death, and this incident highlights inadequacies in the hospital’s current approach.”
The PSA also demands a thorough investigation into the accessibility and control of sanitiser and other potentially dangerous substances in hospital wards.
Ndlovu said: “Materials intended to ensure hygiene and safety became instruments of harm in this case, a risk that must be mitigated through strict control and supervision, especially in high-risk areas such as psychiatric units.” He added that flammable materials should be heavily restricted or removed from such environments and that staff should be trained to identify and prevent potential hazards.
The PSA contends that this tragic event reflects broader systemic failings and calls for immediate rectification of institutional weaknesses.
“The PSA will not tolerate half-measures in response to this disaster. Full accountability is necessary for the immediate failures that enabled this incident and for the culture of complacency surrounding safety protocols. We urge health authorities to provide psychological support to both staff and patients, as the emotional toll of such tragedies is substantial,” he said
Ndlovu concluded by calling for decisive intervention from both the hospital’s management and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health to prevent similar incidents in the future.
He said: ”The PSA will closely monitor the hospital’s actions and insists on transparency throughout the investigation. We will not hesitate to escalate this matter to the highest levels of government. This tragedy must serve as a turning point, compelling Clairwood Hospital and the health system at large to implement essential reforms for the safety of patients and staff.”
