SEWAGE LEAKS AT NEW NATALSPRUIT HOSPITAL

Reports I have received of a sewage problem at the newly opened Natalspruit Hospital are confirmed in a written reply by Infrastructure Development MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

According to Mayathula-Khoza, "blockages in the plumbing system have been reported and have been attended to accordingly".

Shortly after staff moved into the hospital on 18 August, there was a sewage leak from the ceiling of the Ward 5 children's ward for several days. Nurses told me they had to endure the foul smell from brown liquid dripping from the ceiling until the problem was fixed.

In response, Mayathula-Khoza says that the "sewer leakage was due to the blocked drain pipes which resulted from the disposal of solid and non-decomposable items through the sewer system. These ... included paper towels, plastics, nappies, mop ropes, disposable booties, building sand and half-bricks. This caused a back flow and leakage from the rodding eyes due to the weight of disposed items or reverse pressure thrust which caused the spill."

The MEC says that the sewer system is not defective, but she blames users for disposing inappropriate items in the sewer system instead of refuse bins, and says that hospital management needs to undertake "an intensive advocacy drive to educate the users on appropriate disposal".

Hygiene should be a major priority in any hospital.

I am concerned that this hospital has still not sorted out an unpleasant sewage problem that could spread infection.

Statement issued by by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, September 18 2014

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