The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) union in South Africa’s Gauteng province has given the local health department one month to respond to a number of problems in the public healthcare system. If these issues are not resolved, the organisation said it is prepared to hold street protests.
Denosa Gauteng chair Bongani Banda announced this on 6 September 2026 at a briefing at Cosatu House in Braamfontein, Daily Maverick reports. The union listed staff shortages, funded vacant posts, instability in hospital leadership, deteriorating infrastructure, and shortages of medicines and medical supplies among the main problems.
Workload on healthcare workers
According to Banda, the shortage of workers increases the workload on healthcare staff and affects the quality of care they can provide to patients. He also said that healthcare workers are increasingly facing abuse, intimidation, threats and violence from patients and community members.
Denosa believes that such conditions cause stress, fatigue and declining morale among workers. The union called for stronger security at healthcare facilities, the introduction of effective systems for reporting incidents of violence, and stronger support from management.
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Medicines and infrastructure condition
Banda linked shortages of medicines and medical supplies to delays in procurement and supply chains, inventory management difficulties, and disruptions among suppliers. According to him, some patients are referred to other healthcare facilities for medicines, but the necessary treatment may also be unavailable there.
The union also criticised the condition of healthcare infrastructure in Gauteng. Banda noted that neglected facilities may affect infection prevention and control, the operation of medical institutions, patients’ privacy and dignity, as well as emergency preparedness. He questioned whether the department’s infrastructure unit has sufficient resources for maintenance.
Banda said Denosa would not remain passive if its demands are not met and intends to discuss public healthcare problems with communities and civil society.
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