Free State Health MEC Viceroy Mahlatsi admits that staff in his department have failed to ensure that the infrastructure at health facilities is well maintained.

Mahlatsi says the recent closure of clinics and state morgues in the province by inspectors from the Department of Labour and Employment is evidence of the neglect.  

“I personally understand the labour inspectors who are closing down facilities. I have ordered internal inspections of all facilities so we know what we should do. It’s disappointing that people fail to get services because facilities have been closed due to unsafe conditions,” he says.

This week, Mahlatsi embarked on inspections of his own in Allinridge, in the north-west of the Free State, where he found a clinic closed by the labour and employment department following safety concerns.

Mahlatsi adds that it is embarrassing to have a clinic closed since April, causing service breakdown in the farming and mining community.

“I visited two clinics, Bophelong and Lerato, both made me realise that we had a serious structural problem, and another one of our clinics has been closed by the Department of Labour through a prohibition notice,” he says. “I am relieved that the management of the district has interacted with public facilities in the area and that our workers will find space to operate from, while we are trying to resolve the issues in that space.”

Health department to blame

The closure of Bophelong and Leratong Clinics in Allanridge has angered the community.

Although the closure of facilities is due to a prohibition notice issued by the Department of Employment and Labour, citing non-compliance with health and safety regulations, community members blame the health department.

Mothibedi Mazibuko is a community member. He says the department failed to bring mobile clinics in the interim.

“We thought the closure of the two clinics would force the health department to bring mobile clinics, but nothing happened. We are forced to pay a lot of money for private doctors,” he says.

An elderly woman, Mathabo Molatelwa, says she hasn’t been able to get treatment for her high blood pressure.

“The closure of Lerato Clinic has caused so much pain for us. Medication is not sent to us, I have to go to the hospital in Odendaalsrus to get my medication. When I don’t have money, I’m unable to go there, I appeal to those at the helm to fix the problem of the two clinics,” she adds.

No word of when facilities will open

Among the closed facilities are clinics and state morgues in Botshabelo, Phuthaditjhaba and Bloemfontein, where services are partially operating. 

Mahlatsi hasn’t been able to provide a deadline for solutions. “Our officials are at work to meet all the guidelines to reopen those facilities,” he says. 

Community members have appealed to Afriforum to sue the government. Tshepo Mohloki says the government was committing human rights violations by closing health facilities. 

“People are struggling and we hope Afriforum can do what it did with Ngwathe Municipality so we can have our clinics opened,” he says.

The advocacy group has recently succeeded in having the Ngwathe Council declared unfit to render services due to its failure to provide water to communities in Parys, Vreedefor and Heilbron in the Free State. – Health-e News