Friday, 16 May 2025

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) mourns the untimely and preventable death of Dr. Alulutho Mazwi, a 26-year-old medical intern at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in uMlazi. Reports indicate that despite visibly deteriorating health, Dr. Mazwi was compelled by his supervising consultant to continue working, ultimately collapsing during his shift and passing away.

This tragedy highlights the systemic failures within South Africa’s public healthcare system that have occurred under the ANC, where medical interns and junior doctors are subjected to inhumane working conditions, excessive workloads, and a culture of intimidation. The doctor-to-patient ratio in the public sector stands at a staggering 1:3 198, far below the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum of 1:1 000.  Such ratios are unsustainable and place both healthcare workers and patients at significant risk.

Furthermore, medical interns often endure extreme working hours, with reports of up to 187 hours of overtime in a single month, leading to physical and mental exhaustion.  The culture of abuse and neglect within our public hospitals not only endangers the lives of dedicated healthcare professionals but also compromises the quality of care provided to the most vulnerable in our society.

The EFF expects the Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Health tomorrow in Parliament without fail, to give a full and urgent account of the circumstances surrounding Dr. Mazwi’s death. He must outline the steps being taken to ensure a thorough investigation and provide clear answers on how the Department of Health intends to address the exploitation and abuse of interns in public hospitals.

The loss of a young doctor who was dedicating his life to serving his community must not be in vain. We cannot afford to lose another life to a healthcare system that is bleeding from neglect, underinvestment, and poor leadership.

ISSUED BY ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS

Sinawo Thambo (National Spokesperson) 072 629 7422

Thembi Msane (National Spokesperson) 061 467 8169

Andiswa Madikazi (Parliament Media Liason) 069 516 4924

Thato Lebyane (Media Inquiries) 078 563 1581