Healthcare workers picket at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital over Nepotism

Healthcare workers from the Public Servants Association (PSA) are picketing outside the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi, south of Durban. They have accused management of maladministration and nepotism.

The workers say a number of unresolved challenges such as staff shortages, and poor working conditions have burdened the hospital for many years.

On Thursday, the KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli and the Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane made an unannounced visit to the hospital to check on the situation.

One worker says, “I want change in our unit and the unit that I am working in is very toxic, we have a lot of problems because the management is not prepared to listen to us and that is why we have a lot of problems. We need to be heard and we need the management to come down to us. Even the CEO of the hospital doesn’t want to listen to us.”

Another worker adds, “We are worried about our safety at work and the conditions that were working under are very intense and we are subjected to hijacking and they steal our belongings while we are out on the field. So, I want to share my concern.”