SIEK EN SAT – Outcry as Bishop Lavis mense queue from vroegoggend for healthcare

NewsSportLifestyleEntertainmentOpinionNewsSIEK EN SAT – Outcry as Bishop Lavis mense queue from vroegoggend for healthcareJim Mohlala|Updated 1 hour agoCopy to ClipboardAsk AIFRUSTRATION: Mense waiting outside the Bishop Lavis clinic

BISHOP Lavis mense are siek en sat of waiting in long queues for healthcare at the Bishop Lavis Community Health Centre.

Patients are gathering outside the facility from 5am, two hours before it opens, with community representatives warning that vulnerable residents are being exposed to safety risks and the elements while waiting for care.

Ou mense, mothers with babies and people in wheelchairs have been seen queuing outdoors in woeste weer, with community leaders calling on the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness to engage with the community and address long-standing concerns over waiting times and service delivery.

Graham Lindhorst, chairperson of the Bishop Lavis Community Police Forum (CPF) and a member of the Tygerberg Subdistrict Health Forum, said the early-morning queues were a daily occurrence for residents who felt they had no alternative.

Lindhorst took to Facebook to slam provincial dik dinge.

He wrote: “Sies City that works for all. Sies well-run and governed province. How well are you if you don’t even care for the sick and the vulnerable in your city? SIES EN NOGMAALS SIES

He told IOL Media: “I can confirm it is a daily occurrence where residents come early to the facility, not because they have a choice.

“Every day they come early, stand in front of the facility from 5am and then the facility only opens at 7am.”

Lindhorst said the area was dangerous during the early hours, leaving patients vulnerable while they waited for the clinic to open.

“The area is very dangerous, and anything can happen when it’s dark,” he said.

He said he had raised concerns about the situation with the Department of Health for years in his capacity as chairperson of the Tygerberg Subdistrict Health Forum.

At a meeting with the Northern Tygerberg Substructure on 30 September 2026, poor service delivery and patient waiting times at the facility were discussed.

However, Lindhorst said the meeting had not produced a solution.

“No solution has been forthcoming. All we hear is that patients must come when it is their time.”

Lindhorst said a community picket was held outside the facility earlier in September following the death of a woman outside the clinic.

The incident was reported after the woman, who had a chest problem, was unable to access services, according to Lindhorst.

HOSPERSA subsequently called for an investigation into the woman’s death outside the Bishop Lavis clinic.

Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness spokesperson Megan Davids said clinic management was aware of the situation and understood the discomfort patients experienced while waiting outside.

The department also encouraged patients to use the appointment system where applicable to reduce queues outside the facility.

Davids added: “We encourage use of the appointment system where applicable to avoid queues outside.”

Patients endured harsh weather during the week while waiting for the facility to open, sparking outrage from the community.