The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has condemned the appalling state of healthcare services in the Northern Cape, following a damning report by the Health Ombud into conditions at the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital and Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley.

Reacting to the findings on Thursday, ATM National Spokesperson Zama Ntshona said the report confirmed long-standing concerns raised by communities and whistleblowers — that the provincial healthcare system is collapsing, marked by preventable patient deaths, severe staff shortages, and dangerously neglected infrastructure.

“It is unacceptable that patients seeking care are met with crumbling infrastructure, critical staff shortages, and a lack of basic medical supplies,” said Ntshona. “Those implicated in the mismanagement and systemic failures must be held accountable.”

Ombud’s Findings

The Health Ombud, Professor Taole Mokoena, released his investigative report on Wednesday following public outcry and multiple formal complaints. The report exposed deep-rooted dysfunction at both institutions, as well as within the Northern Cape Department of Health as a whole.

Among the key issues identified were:

• Systemic governance failures and chronic mismanagement
• Decrepit infrastructure, including leaking roofs, broken heating systems, and blocked drains
• Severe staff shortages, especially in mental healthcare, with unqualified personnel managing wards
• Dysfunctional emergency systems, contributing to avoidable patient deaths during winter
• Communication breakdowns between hospital management and provincial authorities
• Non-compliance with national health standards and operational protocols

In one harrowing case, the report detailed how three psychiatric patients froze to death during the harsh Kimberley winter of 2024, due to broken heating systems, inadequate bedding and clothing, and no contingency plans.

“These deaths were entirely preventable,” said Professor Mokoena. “This is not just a failure of infrastructure — it is a failure of leadership, accountability, and ethical responsibility.”

Ombud’s Recommendations

To address the crisis, the Health Ombud made several urgent recommendations:

• Establish a provincial healthcare intervention team immediately
• Suspend and investigate officials found responsible for mismanagement
• Urgently repair and upgrade hospital infrastructure, including heating, plumbing, and ward safety systems
• Recruit and retain qualified staff, particularly in psychiatric and clinical services
• Implement a real-time monitoring system to ensure compliance with healthcare regulations
• Strengthen governance and oversight within the provincial health department

Motsoaledi: “This Is Multi-System Organ Failure”

At a media briefing on Wednesday, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi echoed the seriousness of the findings, describing the situation as a total collapse of health systems.

“The province’s health system is suffering collapse at every level. If I were to give it a diagnosis, it would be multi-system organ failure,” Motsoaledi said. “This is not about training or capacity — this is a total collapse of systems.”

Motsoaledi confirmed that a national task team had already been deployed to the Northern Cape to coordinate emergency interventions, assess infrastructure, and fast-track urgent repairs.

He also stated that certain health workers would be referred to professional regulatory bodies, including the Health Professions Council of South Africa and the South African Nursing Council, for possible misconduct.

“We cannot allow such levels of negligence to go unpunished. This is about people’s lives,” he said.

ATM Calls for Systemic Reform

While welcoming the minister’s intervention, the ATM said temporary fixes are not enough. The party called for a complete overhaul of the provincial healthcare governance system, starting with staffing, procurement, accountability, and long-term infrastructure planning.

“The ATM calls for a comprehensive review and overhaul of healthcare governance in the Northern Cape,” Ntshona said.

“This must include reforming the supply chain system, fixing infrastructure, recruiting qualified professionals, and improving oversight.”

The ATM also warned that other provinces could be experiencing similar crises and urged the Health Ombud to launch investigations across the country, particularly in rural areas.

Demand for Accountability

ATM has written to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health to request a formal inquiry into the Northern Cape healthcare system and is also calling for a full forensic audit by the Auditor-General into healthcare spending in the province over the past five years.

The party further proposed the establishment of an independent national oversight body to monitor the quality of public hospital services and ensure future compliance with national standards.

“This cannot be another report that gathers dust. We need lasting reform and a culture of consequence management,” Ntshona concluded.

Tragedy at a Glance: What the Health Ombud Found

• 3 psychiatric patients died from hypothermia in a single winter week
• Only 1 psychiatrist serves the entire province
• 60% of wards failed basic safety compliance
• 4-month shortage of chronic medication due to procurement failures
• Emergency ambulances delayed due to broken radios and GPS systems

Echoes of Life Esidimeni

The Health Ombud’s latest findings have drawn chilling comparisons to the 2016 Life Esidimeni tragedy in Gauteng, where more than 140 psychiatric patients died after being transferred from state care to unlicensed NGOs — a national catastrophe that exposed dangerous lapses in mental healthcare oversight.

As political pressure mounts, the Northern Cape Department of Health faces intensifying scrutiny. African Times will continue to monitor developments as national intervention unfolds — and whether lasting change finally takes root.