By Akani Nkuna
The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng is calling for a prompt and thorough investigation into the fire that broke out at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital over the weekend.
The party insists that any lapses of failures that may have contributed to the incident be identified and addressed.
It emphasized the need for accountability, saying that patients and healthcare workers deserved answers and assurances that such an event would not happen again.
“[We are] demanding a speedy investigation and consequences for any identified failures that may have contributed to the fire at Tembisa Hospital this weekend,” DA Gauteng health spokesperson Jack Bloom said in a statement on Monday.
“We should be very grateful that disaster management services were able to prevent a monstrous tragedy by the speedy evacuation of patients. They should be commended. Unfortunately, there is a history of drawn-out investigation and lack of consequences after previous hospital fires.”
Meanwhile, Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko confirmed that the fire at Tembisa hospital has been fully extinguished, with unaffected sections of the facility continuing to operate as usual.
However, the hospital remained on “divert” status, which meant it was not accepting new emergency cases at this time.
Nkomo-Ralehoko stressed that the cause of the fire was still under investigation and the department was awaiting the official forensic report.
“At this moment no one knows the cause of the incident. There are several investigations that are underway by various institutions are required by law and their response mandates,” she added.
According to a recent Gauteng health department report presented to the provincial llegislature, not a single one of Gauteng’s 37 public hospitals is fully compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, with fire hazards posing the greatest concern.
Sixteen hospital scored below 70% compliance due to inadequate fire measures, including missing equipment and signage. Tembisa hospital scored just 72%, the same as Charlotte Maxeke hospital despite its prior fire incident.
“Tembisa hospital has been mismanaged and looted by fishy contracts for years now, and it does not even have a permanent CEO. A top-class CEO is urgently needed to ensure that full services are reinstated, and measures are taken to alleviate the severe overcrowding that will be worsened by the fire,” Bloom added.
Congress of SA Trade Unions has also expressed deep concern over the blaze, urging authorities to prioritise urgent repairs and to ensure that all health facilities comply with occupational health and safety regulations to prevent similar incidents in future.
“Cosatu Gauteng urgently calls on the Department of Health and Department of Labour to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current state of all health institutions in the province to determine the extent of the occupational health and safety challenges,” said Cosatu provincial chairperson, Aymos Monyela.
“Including the dilapidating infrastructure, prioritise necessary repairs or refurbishment and ensure compliance in terms of health and safety regulations. The staff to patient ratio should also be assessed and measure taken to prioritise it.”
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