"Some Patients Prefer floor to beds":Gauteng MEC Dismisses Overcrowding claims

• Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has dismissed claims of hospital overcrowding
• She said some patients prefer lying on the floor and accusing journalists of spreading a “false narrative”
• Her remarks have angered South Africans, calling them out of touch with the province’s strained health system

JOHANNESBURG- Gauteng health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has dismissed claims that provincial hospitals are in the grip of an overcrowding crisis, arguing that images of patients on floors do not reflect a shortage of beds. She accused journalists of promoting a “false narrative” about the state of public health facilities.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Nkomo-Ralehoko said the department was managing patient volumes and had been distributing new beds across the province. She cited the delivery of 250 beds to Vereeniging and said a referral system was in place to redirect ambulances to hospitals with available space.

“At no stage were people sleeping on the floor because there were no beds,” she said. “Sometimes facilities are small, but we cluster hospitals and divert patients where beds are available.”

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The MEC claimed some patients, particularly pregnant women in labour, preferred lying on the floor due to discomfort. She also referred to an elderly woman photographed crawling, saying the patient had been offered a wheelchair but declined it.

Nkomo-Ralehoko announced she had barred journalists from taking photographs inside hospitals, saying media reports were based on assumptions. She added that a dashboard at the department monitored bed availability daily to prevent patients from being taken to full facilities.

MEC claims major upgrades in hospitals

While acknowledging infrastructure challenges, the MEC said fewer than 10 of Gauteng’s 37 hospitals required major refurbishment and highlighted upgrades at Bertha Gxowa and Mamelodi hospitals. She maintained that clinics had improved significantly, with more doctors now stationed on site.

Despite limited funding, she insisted progress was being made.

"There has been a huge improvement, but unfortunately, Gautengers don’t appreciate that. At some stage, they will,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said.

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DA MPL call for the removal of MEC.

Dr Jack Bloom, the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, has blasted Nkomo-Ralehoko's comments as showing how out of touch she is.

"Many patients spend days in casualty waiting to be admitted to a ward,

"Last week, I intervened when a patient at Bheki Mlangeni Hospital was in casualty for a week before being admitted," he said

Bloem also claimed to have referred a Facebook complaint about an elderly woman waiting in a hard chair for assistance at Far East Rand Hospital from 3 pm on Sunday to 11 am on Monday.

What did South Africans say?

@TomKhosa wrote:

"She's a classic ANC cadre. She does not have respect! Let's get them out of power!"

@PeterDermauw said:

"Just last week, an elderly South African woman was rushed to a hospital in Durban after having a stroke and waited the whole day as there were no beds available. She sadly passed away a day later."

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@PromyKingdom stated:

"Has she done the same during labour, or is it only done at public facilities?"

@chris_tod commented:

"She is lying. Go to your local hospital and look around. There is not one person in the world who chooses to sleep on the floor. She should be fired."

@Clement_T1 said:

"Come the elections, let's make the ANC sleep on the floor!"

Previously, Briefly News reported that the Gauteng health system is under significant strain as the number of hospital and clinic visits in the province recently reached 19.6 million, surpassing the province’s population of about 16.1 million. This pressure is driven by rising patient demand, critical staff shortages and budget cuts, including an R8 billion reduction in the provincial health budget, which has hindered hiring and supply procurement. Health officials also report large surgical backlogs, with over 34,000 patients still awaiting procedures such as cataract operations.

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Source: Briefly News