GroundUp reports that two clinics in Motherwell, Gqeberha, remained closed on Wednesday following allegations against one of the clinics after the death of 15-year-old Zenizole Vena.

About 100 Motherwell residents gathered outside the Thanduxolo clinic in NU10 on Wednesday. They were demanding the immediate reopening of that clinic and the clinic in NU11. The NU11 clinic has been closed since the provincial Department of Health started an investigation following the death of Vena on 21 September. The health department reported that the investigation into the matter was still under way, but that it viewed the clinic closures as unprotected strike action by staff because there had been agreements that normal operations would resume on Monday. The Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) said nurses at both clinics did not report for duty because they were afraid that angry community members would attack them because of the Zenizole incident. The union emphasised that this was not a strike. Denosa’s regional chairperson Vuyo Dlanga reported that, as a temporary measure, nurses from the NU11 clinic had been sent to work at other clinics. "The closure of that clinic led patients to flock to the nearby Thanduxolo Clinic in NU10, which overwhelmed its services. This resulted in services not being rendered properly and our members felt threatened by patients," he indicated.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Joseph Chirume at GroundUp

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