DA calls for overturn of shocking eviction of Wentworth Hospital nurses

21 September 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the Chairperson of KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) Health portfolio committee, requesting that provincial Heath MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu be summoned to explain the recent eviction of nurses from their accommodation at Wentworth Hospital.

The call comes after the issue was recently highlighted in the media by both the nurses and trade unions. This after nurses were served with eviction notices during the lockdown and told to vacate their rooms by 1 October.

The DA is disgusted by the actions of MEC Simelane-Zulu and her DoH. These are nurses who remain on the frontline in our province’s fight against Covid-19 and who have worked tirelessly to save the lives of many patients. They have worked through their own fears of becoming infected, in over-crowded Covid-19 wards and despite shortages and quality concerns around Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Yet, despite all of this selfless work, they have received eviction notices to make way for returning Cuban-trained doctors - one of the ANC’s pet projects. This is a complete slap in the face. It is also indicative of how little this MEC and her Department care, when the reality is that many of these nurses come from deep rural areas and have no alternative accommodation.

The MEC and her Department’s attitude is shocking and the DA supports the call for Wentworth’s nurses to remain in their accommodation. We also demand that the DoH withdraw these eviction notices and that nurses be given the respect they deserve.

This latest debacle within KZN’s DoH has again exposed that while the ANC-led government continues to applaud healthcare workers - and even calls on them to do the Jerusalema – these are merely superficial acts.

The time has come to actively support, care for and protect our healthcare workers. The eviction of nurses has exposed exactly how little the ANC really cares.

Issued by Rishigen Viranna, DA KZN Spokesperson on Health, 21 September 2020