Fire at Tembisa Hospital a warning that it is 'on the brink of collapse' — PSA

The fire that broke out at Tembisa Hospital’s accident and emergency unit at the weekend has ignited a storm of criticism, with the Public Servants Association (PSA) accusing the hospital’s management of gross negligence and demanding urgent intervention. 

The PSA said the “deteriorating infrastructure and unsafe working conditions” at the hospital were a ticking time bomb. 

The fire, which occurred on Saturday, led to the partial collapse of a section of the building.

While no injuries or fatalities were reported, the PSA said the incident is a symptom of long-standing infrastructure failures and ignored warnings that have left hospital workers and patients in danger. 

“The PSA has consistently raised concerns about the deteriorating infrastructure and unsafe working conditions at the hospital, warning that the facility was on the brink of collapse,” the association said in a statement.

“This incident, which could have resulted in serious injuries or loss of life, is a direct consequence of the hospital management’s failure to act on repeated warnings.”

According to the PSA, the hospital has been on the brink of collapse for months, with internal reports highlighting cracked walls, broken taps, exposed live wires, and serious fire hazards, especially in high-risk areas such as the casualty department. 

Concerns about the facility’s safety were formally raised in December last year, when inspectors from the department of employment and labour issued a notice to the hospital that outlined numerous violations of occupational health and safety regulations and gave management until February this year to make the necessary repairs.   

“Earlier this year, an employee was injured after a ceiling collapsed in one of the wards, another clear indication of the urgent need for intervention,” said the PSA.

The organisation vowed to monitor the hospital closely and has not ruled out further action to protect healthcare workers and patients. 

“Despite these warnings, the hospital’s management failed to implement any meaningful safety measures. There is also no proactive plan to address the growing crisis,” the PSA said. 

“The PSA calls for immediate intervention by the Gauteng department of health and relevant oversight authorities to launch a full investigation into the incident and hold the hospital management accountable for the gross negligence.”

Tembisa Hospital management is yet to issue a public statement on the incident, the PSA said. 

On Sunday, the Gauteng health department said no new patients would be admitted at the hospital. — SowetanLIVE