EWN reports that according to the Gauteng Health Department, all services at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg were back to normal on Friday morning following a shutdown of the facility due to violent protests.
Hundreds of workers went on a rampage on Thursday over unpaid bonuses. Jack Bloom of the Democratic Alliance (DA) commented: “I visited the hospital and found rubbish strewn all over and the remains of burnt-out fires. Non-emergency surgery has been cancelled and most patients have left the hospital. I was told that protesters threatened staff and patients and in one instance, pulled doctors out of surgery while a patient was on the operating table.” Departmental spokesperson Kutso Rabuthatha said that cleaning services had already started on Thursday. Meanwhile, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that he would be discussing the protest with the Minister of Police to ensure action was taken against those responsible. He called the action pure hooliganism
- Based on reports by Thando Kubheka at EWN and Sanele Gumada at The Citizen
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