‘We are not asking for miracles — just respect, dignity, and access to basic healthcare’
DELMAS – Widespread reports of poor service delivery, unhygienic conditions, and inadequate emergency response at Samuel Bernice Hospital in Delmas have sparked growing concerns about the state of public healthcare in the area. What is meant to be a place of healing has increasingly become a symbol of neglect and systemic failure.
The hospital, which serves a large portion of the Delmas community, has come under fire from residents and health activists who say the facility is chronically understaffed, poorly maintained, and ill-equipped to deliver even the most basic services. Patients face long waiting times, filthy toilets, and often leave without receiving medication or proper care.
A recent case that brought the crisis into sharp focus involved a 27-year-old pregnant woman from Botleng Extension 3, who was assaulted near her home on the night of 24 May. Her efforts to get emergency assistance failed dismally — she called the national emergency line (112) at 11pm but received no response for more than six hours.
When her partner finally took her to Samuel Bernice Hospital, the shocking conditions continued. “The porter placed me in a wheelchair that hadn’t been cleaned. I was literally sitting on another patient’s faeces,” she recalled. “The stench in the toilets was unbearable. No one should be exposed to that kind of environment in a hospital.”
Even more concerning, she was told to wait in the casualty ward due to a lack of available beds and was eventually sent home without medication. “They said the pharmacy was closed and I should come back the next day. How can that be acceptable for a pregnant assault victim?” she asked.
Her experience is not unique. Other community members have reported similar treatment: unresponsive ambulance services, dirty wards, no medication, and indifferent staff. These are not isolated complaints but point to a systemic collapse in healthcare delivery at the facility.
A local community health activist commented, “We are not asking for miracles — just respect, dignity, and access to basic healthcare. When a woman can’t get urgent help after being assaulted, it’s no longer just poor service, it’s a violation of human rights.” Despite repeated attempts by the Highveld Chronicle to obtain a response, the Mpumalanga Department of Health has remained silent.
