By Buziwe Nocuze
Patients at Nyanga Clinic in Cape Town are accusing staff of negligence after some were turned away without being helped on Thursday.
Yoliswa Vena arrived at 5am to queue outside the clinic.
“I woke up early to be in front of the queue and I found other patients in the queue. We waited for the clinic to open at 7.30am,” she said.
Staff arrived but didn’t let patients in at opening time.
At 8.30am, patients were told the clinic wouldn’t open due to rubbish dumped outside causing a bad smell.
Patients were finally allowed in after 9.30am.
Monique Johnstone, Western Cape Government Health and Wellness spokesperson, acknowledged the frustration and distress caused by the delay in services.
“We want to assure the community that their health and well-being remain our top priority,” she said.
Johnstone said that illegal dumping created an unsafe environment.
She said the facility opened at 7.30am and services resumed shortly after that. The department is working with the local councillor on waste management and investigating the situation to prevent future disruptions.
“We urge community members to respect the ‘no litter’ signage around this and other facilities to help maintain a clean, safe, and healthy environment for everyone,” Johnstone said.
Pictured above: Patients attending Nyanga clinic are accusing the clinic of negligence after the clinic staff allegedly refused to open because of the illegal rubbish dumped outside the clinic.
Source: Supplied
