KZN Health taking serious action after fire at Durban hospital: MEC
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu says ordinary South Africans deserve better services.
The MEC was speaking after dozens of patients had to be evacuated from Addington Hospital on Tuesday.
A fire broke out at the Durban beachfront facility - forcing staff to evacuate 84 people, including 25 newborn babies.
It's understood a pile of refuse near a non-functioning service lift caught fire.
Simelane-Zulu visited the hospital yesterday. She was told the lifts have not been working for several days.
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The MEC instructed her team to bring in the service provider so the lifts can be fixed immediately.
"I know that the department engaged with the same service provider last year and they committed to change their service, and do hings better and that hasn't changed. So we are taking serious action to it and do what needs to be done legally to be able to get proper services in this hospital. The poor people using this hospital deserve better. No one would walk up eight flights of stairs when they are sick," Simelane-Zulu said.
Investigations into what sparked the fire are still underway.
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