City Press reports that Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has revealed that several public hospitals in the province do not have valid fire clearance certificates.

This was advised on Monday in a written reply to questions from the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Gauteng legislature. Nkomo-Ralehoko said that most public hospitals did not have floor plans or adequate fire detection systems. When asked how often hospitals were inspected for fire and infrastructure safety, Nkomo-Ralehoko enumerated numerous instances of fire safety inspections not having been conducted for some time or at all. She said the only two hospitals with valid fire certificates were the Thelle Mogoerane and Bertha Gxowa hospitals. Gauteng Shadow Health MEC Jack Bloom pointed out that there had been at least eight provincial hospital fires in the last seven years. These had occurred at the Charlotte Maxeke, Chris Hani Baragwanath, Steve Biko, Tambo, Bheki Mlangeni and Carletonville hospitals, but none of them had adequate fire-prevention measures to prevent a repeat. He said it was scandalous that so little had been done to upgrade fire security in public hospitals. "We need to know what form and measures are being taken to ensure staff and patients are protected from fire hazards," he stated.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Yoliswa Sobuwa at City Press (subscriber access only)

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