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BUSY: Lindile Sifile gets a haircut at the salon inside Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital. PHOTOS: VATHISWA RUSELO

'CONVENIENT': People walk past the salon set up in the premises of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital.

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A hair and beauty salon has been operating in the corridors of one of Gauteng's busiest hospitals for years, with a large clientele of mainly staff and patients.

Workers who have been employed at the hospital for more than 10 years say the salon was already doing business when they started working there. The salon is situated next to the radiology and pathology departments, along the hospital's main passage.

Gauteng health department spokesman Simon Zwane does not know the owners of the salon. "We don't know anything about this salon and I believe it was an arrangement between the hospital's management and the owners of the salon. Please ask the hospital's CEO, he should have answers."

Asked whether it was illegal to have a salon operating inside hospital premises, Zwane said: "I've never seen any regulations which are against that."

Hospital CEO Barney Selebano did not want to be drawn into discussions about the salon yesterday, saying only: "The hospital has no problem with businesses operating to the benefit of clients at the hospital.

"We would, however, appreciate it if businesses did so hand in hand with hospital management, so that service-level agreements can be applied for such businesses to meet the standards and norms of the health department and ours," said Selebano.

Asked whether there is a service-level agreement in place with the hair salon, Selebano said he would rather not comment. The salon, which could fit about five hospital beds, offers a range of hair and beauty treatments, including manicures, pedicures, braiding and hair straightening and styling. Men can also have their hair cut and styled.

One of the salon's regulars, who identified herself only as Nonceba, said she used the salon because it was convenient. She lives in Braamfontein and works in Parktown.

"I've been coming here for the past two years. It's cheap and convenient for me," she said.

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Thu Jun 20 06:46:12 SAST 2013 ::

Nov 2, 2012

Pointman

Entrepreneural flair South African style - very good and I hope they are allowed to continue but legally. I hope the CEO does not find out about how good the business is and then hands over the premises to his a family member. The only worrying part is managements ignorance and this is to be expected from the health department.
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Nov 2, 2012

warry

This is unfair and you making government look like a joke. Who pays for water, electricity, rates. Come on take the business out of the sight and do hospital business. It's unfair.
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Nov 2, 2012

Mellow

Asked whether it was illegal to have a salon operating inside hospital premises, Zwane said: "I've never seen any regulations which are against that."
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Really now makes me wonder how many of your incompetent nurses queue for a cheap hair -do while on duty and you say you've never seen any regulations against that. Sooo much of a convenient eish SA and saloon and their strong hair products and chemicals how can it be good for a hospital? COMMON SENSE?!
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Nov 2, 2012

THEmadame2B-BBEE

ke makwerekwere doing this, WTF
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Nov 2, 2012

zuluchick

im all for empowering people but this doesnt sound right.....at a hospital!?
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Nov 2, 2012

todaysnews

am sure they are paying rent which i hope is been included in the revenue for the hospital.
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Nov 2, 2012

maneater

if you can have a cafeteria at the hospital what is wrong woth the salon??
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Nov 2, 2012

SHANDIS

Mzansi for sure
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Nov 2, 2012

MGEEZ

@maneater
if you can have a cafeteria at the hospital what is wrong woth the salon??
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Precisely!!! I think Sowetan was just looking for a scoop here.
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Nov 2, 2012

MGEEZ

@Pointman
Entrepreneural flair South African style - very good and I hope they are allowed to continue but legally. I hope the CEO does not find out about how good the business is and then hands over the premises to his a family member. The only worrying part is managements ignorance and this is to be expected from the health department.
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Agreed.
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