The recent attack on health-care workers at the Themba Hospital in Mpumalanga has once again brought the spotlight back to concerns raised by numerous stakeholders on the lack of safety at key facilities servicing South African communities.
Health-care workers at the hospital were, according to recent reports, attacked by members of a local business forum who were demanding tenders from the hospital. The members had embarked on a protest starting from April 4, resulting in the hospital shutting its gates.
The Public Servants Association (PSA) condemned the attack on health-care workers at Themba Hospital, saying this constituted a flagrant violation of the principle of medical impartiality and represented a severe breach of employees’ rights to a safe working environment as a fundamental workplace principle.
The association’s Flip van der Walt said having a situation where health services at the Themba Hospital were severely disrupted as a result of a group of individuals, disgruntled about procurement processes and practices, subjecting certain hospital employees to threats and physical assaults, including the inappropriate use of fire extinguishers, was not something that could be left to continue unchecked.
“The PSA is extremely concerned about the safety and well-being of health-care workers and patients’ constitutional right to access health-care services, which have been infringed upon.
“We urge the employer to prioritise employee safety and to enhance security measures at all health-care facilities.
“We (the PSA) further implore law enforcement agencies to carefully monitor the situation to ensure swift responses and interventions, while simultaneously calling on communities to demonstrate solidarity with health-care workers and condemn any form of violence directed towards them.”
Political party ActionSA, in condemning the attacks, called on Safety and Security MEC Vusi Shongwe to increase security by deploying the police to the hospital and ensuring that workers were safe to go back to work.
“It is unacceptable that health-care workers, who are committed to healing and saving lives, are subjected to such inexcusable acts. We urge authorities to take swift and decisive action to ensure the safety and security of health-care workers within Themba Hospital and across all other health-care facilities.
“Enhanced security measures, rigorous enforcement of existing laws, and initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of respecting health-care professionals are crucial steps that must be taken immediately.
“ActionSA will offer caring and inclusive governance, adopting a pro-poor plan of action that ensures all residents have access to quality basic services and primary health-care that cater to all their residents,” said ActionSA Mpumalanga premier candidate Thoko Mashiane.
The Star