Gqeberha, Eastern Cape — The Livingstone Hospital governance crisis has shown no signs of abating, with Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka revealing a stark lack of progress during a recent oversight visit to the Gqeberha facility.
Gcaleka conducted the visit to assess the implementation of her recommendations following a 2021 investigation into the hospital. However, she found that the facility remains plagued by clinical staff shortages, severe overcrowding, and the continued absence of an approved organizational structure, commonly known as an organogram.
According to the Public Protector, there has been little to no improvement since her last visit five years ago. The situation on the ground remains dire for both patients and staff. Frustrated patients reported waiting for days and sleeping on cold benches just to receive medical attention. Some alleged that individuals have died while waiting to be assisted.
Gcaleka highlighted the casualty ward as the most critical area of concern, noting that patients are sometimes forced to sit in the department for up to a week without receiving help.
“Patients still complain of having to sit here in long queues. There’s a shortage of beds. There’s a shortage of space,” Gcaleka stated, emphasizing that the conditions call for urgent escalation.
The human toll of the administrative failures was echoed by patients enduring the wait. One patient shared a painful experience, noting they were told by a doctor they would only be assisted after 72 hours. “It’s hard to even get something to eat here. We’ve been sleeping on these benches. I’ve seen patients get here looking a lot better, yet they die without having been attended to,” the patient said.
Healthcare workers are reportedly equally frustrated, battling extreme understaffing while trying to manage the influx of patients.
At the heart of the administrative stagnation is the hospital’s ongoing failure to finalize its organizational structure. The CEO of Livingstone Hospital confirmed to the Public Protector that the facility is still operating without a signed organogram, relying instead on a draft document.
When questioned about the lack of progress since the 2021 investigation, the CEO acknowledged that the organogram remains unsigned. Gcaleka noted that this persistent delay points to a serious, systemic problem regarding governance, leadership, and management at the facility.
In response to the ongoing non-compliance, the Public Protector’s office announced it will now formally engage the provincial government regarding the lack of implementation of the previously directed remedial actions.
Gcaleka stressed that the recommended steps are not merely bureaucratic suggestions, but necessary measures to deter maladministration and provide clear, actionable direction to the hospital’s leadership.
