Unpaid security guards disrupt Steve Biko hospital

27 November 2017

I am concerned that unpaid security guards barricaded the entrances to the Steve Biko Hospital this morning with rocks, burning tyres and rubble.

The guards say that they have not been paid for three months.

This is the second hospital to be disrupted because the private security company has not been paid by the Gauteng Health Department.

Last month the Thelle Mogoerane Hospital in Vosloorus had to stop admitting patients for a number of days because of action by unpaid security guards.

I hope that the situation at the Steve Biko Hospital is resolved soon but it shows the depth of the problems that need to be solved urgently by the intervention team that has been set up to fix the Department.

I fear that there will be more disruptions as goods and services are withdrawn by other unpaid companies.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 27 November 2017