UNHEALTHY ALTERCATION: Union demands Kariega hospital security upgrades after violent trauma unit clash

A violent altercation at Uitenhage Provincial Hospital’s trauma unit on Friday night has prompted a union call for stronger security at the hospital, amid concerns that healthcare workers are regularly exposed to violence while treating patients.

Thembisa Witbooi, the Eastern Cape provincial labour relations organiser of the Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (Hospersa), said the incident began when a patient sought to enter the trauma unit with several relatives, in breach of hospital rules limiting patients to one escort.

“There’s a rule within the hospital that says one escort per patient. But what happens is that these patients are then escorted by five people,” she said, adding that the patient had been triaged as yellow, indicating that they need urgent medical attention but are not classified as an immediate emergency.

Witbooi, who visited the hospital on Saturday to speak with affected staff, noted that the patient’s relatives had appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.

She said the patient went outside and called on her relatives to confront healthcare workers after security personnel barred them from the trauma unit. The relatives tried to force their way into the restricted area, sparking a confrontation with security staff.

Security personnel were assaulted during the clash, Witbooi said, and hospital property was damaged. The family members allegedly hurled stones at glass doors – shattering several – and threw wheelchairs around while shoving hospital beds.

Siyanda Manana, spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Health, said the incident was reported to the department at about 1.10am on Saturday, 24 October.

He said a man was taken to a nearby police station, where he admitted in an affidavit that he and his wife had damaged doors and windows at the hospital.

“It is worth noting that he took full responsibility [for] the damage to state property and committed to pay the damages in full – damage cost to doors and windows and installation costs. The case has not yet been opened, but will be opened on Monday, 26 October.” 

Manana said possible charges included assault, malicious damage to property and contravention of the Control of Access to Public Premises and Vehicles Act.

‘They come to work with fear’

Witbooi said the incident reflected the wider safety concerns healthcare workers faced at the hospital. “This is not a once-off matter. It’s just that this one has been recorded. These are the situations that they are going through,” she said.

The staff “are scared in the sense that they do not know what to expect on a daily basis. They come to work with fear,” she said. “Our nurses are not trained to be responding to violence. They are trained to save lives. So it cannot be now that they are exposed to violence and the department is not doing anything about that.”

Hospersa has repeatedly raised security warnings with the provincial health department, Witbooi noted, including during past visits to the hospital. She urged officials to stop reacting to violence and start preventing it.

“The department is reactive most of the time. We’ve been saying to them: we need to be proactive in that a risk assessment needs to be done.”

Following Friday’s incident, the union contacted the acting district manager to press for urgent security upgrades.

Witbooi said two security officers were currently stationed at the trauma unit, but Hospersa is demanding additional guards there and across the entire facility. The union also called for stricter screening at the main entrance to enforce the one-escort policy.

Responding to Hospersa’s call for risk assessments, Manana said security audits were conducted periodically based on prevailing threat levels.

Manana said a master security risk assessment was conducted in 2024/2025, followed by a conditional assessment in 2025/2026. Contracted security providers also conduct site-specific security risk assessments.

The department declined to release its security risk assessment report, describing it as classified and confidential.

Manana said the department was combining physical security measures with electronic systems to improve safety at healthcare facilities. These include CCTV cameras and panic buttons linked to a 24-hour armed response service. He said armed reaction officers had responded promptly to incidents at healthcare facilities.

The department is also finalising a new rate-based contract for electronic security systems and preparing to introduce a new physical security contract in the 2027/2028 financial year.

Appeal to the community

Hospersa has appealed to community members to respect and protect healthcare workers. “We’re calling upon our communities to ensure that our healthcare staff are taken care of, are safe. And it’s our responsibility to keep them safe,” said Witbooi.

“It can’t be that we come into public facilities and attack our workers – people that are giving their all to this service, ensuring that they’re taking care of us. It can’t be that we attack those who are saving our lives.”

Manana echoed this, saying: “The Eastern Cape Department of Health is calling upon members of society and the community at large to respect health facilities and be in the forefront of protecting health institutions.” DM