A government hospital serving the Merewent and Wentworth communities has become a glaring symbol of South Africa’s crumbling public healthcare system.
Underfunded, understaffed, and struggling with decaying infrastructure, hospitals like Wentworth are failing their patients—leaving the sick and vulnerable to endure agonising delays, neglect, and substandard care. For many, a trip to the hospital is no longer a place of healing but a desperate fight for attention in an overwhelmed system.
One such case is Kurt Brandon Williams, a 58-year-old Merewent resident, whose experience at Wentworth Hospital paints a grim picture of the crisis. His niece, Keri Alexander, described their harrowing ordeal.
“On 22 February, I requested an ambulance for my uncle, who had lost majority of his speech and mobility. The ambulance only arrived the next day. At the hospital, he waited 36 hours in the casualty ward without medical attention. The nurses ignored my concerns and were often engaged in personal matters. He was eventually admitted but neglected during his time in the hospital. He had green pus around his eyes and mouth, and blood on his chest. He is now half the size he was, grey in colour, and has lost all speech and mobility,” she said.
Similarly, a heart patient, who wished to remain anonymous, at Wentworth Hospital endured multiple instances of neglect. His wife recounted: “Despite my husband being a heart patient, each time we visit accident and emergency, there are long waits, no wheelchairs, and inadequate care. One time, after waiting nine hours for blood results, I was told they had to be redone. On another visit, my husband, who had fallen and cut his head, experienced chest pains, but there were no wheelchairs. We walked past accident and emergency because it wasn’t properly signposted. I ran to find it, and when we finally arrived, I was told to wait, despite my husband having chest pains. Luckily, a good samaritan found a wheelchair and helped me get him inside. After waiting four hours, a doctor finally treated him, but they never check his heart during visits, only his blood pressure and medication.”
While the health sector has been allocated R28.9 billion to maintain staffing levels, including the employment of 9 300 healthcare workers and 800 post-community service doctors, Dr Imran Keeka, member of the KZN Provincial Legislature and DA KZN health spokesperson, argues that the allocation is misdirected.
“In terms of the budget, health allocations appear to go straight to the Compensation of Employees (CoE), with an overemphasis on employing more doctors—treating our health sector as if it is only doctor-dependent,” he said.
Keeka pointed out that the province faces severe shortages in other critical roles, such as nurses, pharmacists, and support staff.
“With over 2 500 nurses in KZN having resigned due to poor working conditions, the healthcare system will continue to deteriorate unless staffing shortages are addressed. Specialists are also in short supply, particularly in cardiology, and more must be done to train and retain them,” he said.
Keeka called for a reassessment of funding priorities.
He said: “The focus must shift to a more balanced approach, which includes hiring nurses and support staff. Our province cannot continue with just two or three cardiologists in employment. The government must urgently reallocate funds to reduce unnecessary spending in areas like advertising and travel, and instead invest in healthcare staff and infrastructure.”
He also proposed that the government suspend new projects in favour of maintaining existing facilities.
“The budget adjustment processes must be used to stabilise KZN’s ailing department of health by prioritising maintenance over new projects for at least the next three years,” he said.
