TimesLIVE reports that labour organisations have called on the KwaZulu-Natal health department (DOH) to issue a public apology and acknowledgment of systematic abuse of junior staff at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital following the death of a medical intern last week.

Alulutho Mazwi, 25, an intern doctor at the Umlazi-based hospital who was diabetic, died while on duty after allegedly being made to work despite reporting he was unwell. The DOH said an investigation into the allegations of bullying in the lead-up to Mazwi’s death was under way, and the supervising consultant who allegedly forced him to work despite his ill health had been placed on precautionary leave. Despite the measures, the Public Servants Association (PSA) led a picket outside the hospital on Tuesday to raise concerns about working conditions, infrastructure and governance at the hospital. The union, joined by the SA Federation of Trade Unions, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA and the Patriotic Alliance (PA), said the incident highlighted the "toxic" environment junior staff were subjected to at the hospital, including bullying, overwork and overall leadership failure. A memorandum of demands was presented to management. The EFF held its own picket outside the hospital and also presented demands. The party said it also wanted management to report on the investigation into the nurses who allegedly left ICU patients unattended last year. The hospital was given seven days to respond to the two memorandums.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lwazi Hlangu at TimesLIVE
• Read too, EFF pickets at hospital over Alulutho Mazwi’s death as investigation begins, at TimesLIVE

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