Gauteng statement on the collapse of the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital

3 March 2017  

COSATU is Gauteng is saddened by the tragic incident ,which occurred at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital yesterday. The collapse of the certain section of the hospital during the repair is just a symptom of the structural deficiencies in the health sector and its infrastructure in particular.

We appreciate the fact that the collapse happened in the process that sought improve the condition of the hospital. The issue of the state health infrastructure has been tabled in bargaining chambers for a long period with no joy form the authorities.

We thank God that in this instance, it is fortunate that there were no deaths and extreme fatalities. However, the minor injuries and shock experienced by the 5 rescued and the hundreds that have been affected was preventable and is testimony to poor state of public facilities.

The collapse further confirm and vindicate our view and believe that our state has no capacity and means to be a developmental state and there are no plans at all build capacity within the state to be developmental in its character, content and form. The outsourcing and tenderization of such work further bears testimony to this view. You cannot have departments that always outsource its function and responsibility to private sector on all its work. 

The Department of Infrastructure Development is just a empty shell that has historically relied upon the private sector for all of its work. We believe that the MEC must review this state of affairs and build capacity within the department to be able to play a developmental role in Gauteng. We believe that this department is very key and important in advancing the Transformation, Modernization and RE-industrialization (TMR).   

The state of the health system further affirms our view that it is only the National Health Insurance system that would be in a position to really deal with the structural challenges facing the health system including the infrastructural challenges that faces many of our hospital which are across the province and country at large.

Our members for example were dismissed at the central office for having raised these issues of infrastructural decay in our health system and including its buildings. We have resolve that as we move forward a concentrated campaign will be launched to expose all the deadly buildings and institutions which are health hazards to our members and the community.

We lastly wish all those who got injured a speedily recovery and sympathize with the survivors of this collapse and call for government to assist them to overcome this ordeal. All the labour brokers must be out of the Gauteng system with immediate effect.

Issued by Dumisani Dakile, Provincial Secretary, COSATU Gauteng, 3 March 2017