Pretoria resident, 35-year-old Khensani Bridget Mathiba, a single mother of four, is caught in an agonising battle for her health.
On 12 February 2025, a household accident left her with a broken leg, sending her to Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital in urgent need of surgery. But her ordeal has been anything but swift.
What should have been a straightforward procedure turned into a frustrating delay. After an initial operation, Mathiba was informed that the procedure was not successful. Her follow-up surgery, essential for full recovery, could not proceed because the hospital’s C-arm machine was malfunctioning, and has been postponed ever since.
Weeks passed without resolution. The swelling and pain intensified, but each appointment ended in disappointment. On 28 May, she was supposed to finally undergo the next phase of treatment, but without functional equipment, she remains uncertain about when, or if, her operation will happen.
The cost of delay: A mother’s struggle
Beyond physical pain, Mathiba faces financial strain and emotional distress. She can no longer work at her informal trading business, leaving her family in dire need.
“I simply cannot work now,” she lamented. “I just want to get better so that I can provide for my children.” She is always in pain and fears further damage to her leg. Her next appointment is scheduled for 28 June 2025.
Gauteng Health Department responds
According to Motalatale Modiba, Chief Director of Communication at the Gauteng Department of Health, efforts are underway to repair broken hospital machinery, including the C-arm machines.
“The department is in the process of repairing the broken machines and expects a newly procured unit to arrive by June 2025,” Modiba stated. Until then, patients unable to receive proper care at Kalafong Hospital are being referred to Steve Biko Academic Hospital, also in Pretoria.
“All patients that the hospital cannot assist during this period are referred to Steve Biko Academic Hospital to access the services upon review. The review on the patient’s next appointment will inform whether the patient will be referred or not; the doctor will inform the patient accordingly,” Modiba said.
Modiba also insisted that Kalafong is not delaying care to patients. “Patients who need services that the hospital cannot provide due to the disruption caused by non-functional machinery are sent to Steve Biko Academic Hospital for continuity of care. Those that can still be managed in Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital are serviced and cared for there.”
Funding for hospital equipment upgrades
“It is important that we point out the following: The Gauteng Department of Health has received an allocation of R100 million from the National Department of Health for the 2025/26 financial year to support our recapitalisation programme, which aims to refurbish and replace outdated critical equipment and machinery in hospitals. Out of this amount, R50 million is specifically set aside to address laundry machinery challenges across hospitals in the province, while the other half will go towards critical equipment and machinery,” Modiba stated.
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