Neelam Rahim |  neelam@radioislam.co.za

2-minute read
27 February 2023 | 18:30 CAT

Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital Image: Wikipedia

Another day, more corruption. The DA in Gauteng says only 2 out of 37 hospitals have sound fire detection systems. And this is of grave concern as these institutions will see devastating scenes and heartbreak should it not be fixed before a fire breaks out.

The only hospitals in Gauteng with valid fire certificates are Thelle Mogoerane (Vosloorus) and Bertha Gxowa (Germiston).

This was revealed by the Gauteng Health Department in a written reply to the DA’s Jack Bloom in the Gauteng legislature.

In conversation with Radio Islam International, the DA’s Jack Bloom says the infrastructure department, notoriously inefficient, does not seem to be conducting the required inspections at hospitals.

Bloom says over the past seven years, at least eight hospital fires have been reported in Gauteng.

These fires occurred at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Steve Biko Hospital, Tambo Memorial Hospital, Bheki Mlangeni Hospital, and Carletonville Hospital.

However, Bloom says that following the incidents, none have adequate fire prevention measures.

“It is scandalous that so little has been done to upgrade fire security at our hospitals. We need to know what firm measures are being taken to ensure staff and patients are protected from fire hazards.”

Meanwhile, the last fire assessment conducted at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital was in 2016.

“Our largest hospital with thousands of staff and patients has not been through a proper inspection and is not fire compliant, one cannot imagine the terrible catastrophe if there had to be a fire outbreak,” says Bloom.

Listen to the interview on Your World Today with Host Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and the DA’s Jack Bloom.