By OBAKENG MAJE
7 July 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it demands action to restore water to Hester Malan Hospital in Douglas. The DA said as the Hester Malan Hospital in Douglas enters its second month with no water, they demand answers and action from the Northern Cape MEC for Health, Maruping Lekwene.
The DA spokesperson on Health and a Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) in Northern Cape, Isak Fritz said they conducted an oversight inspection to the hospital on 28 June 2025, after receiving complaints about a lack of water and growing mounds of unwashed linen, gowns and scrubs. Fritz said the hospital has become a health and safety hazard to patients and staff because infection controls measures cannot be fully implemented.
“In addition to the risk posed by contaminated laundry, patients also cannot properly clean themselves, having to rely on containers of cold water as temperatures plummet. Doctors and nurses cannot adequately wash their hands, risking cross contamination.
“Wards, bathrooms and public waiting areas cannot be adequately sanitized. The situation also poses a critical threat to kitchen hygiene and food preparation,” he said.
Fritz further said despite visiting the hospital, he has not managed to establish the underlying cause of the water shortage, as staff at the hospital refused to speak to him. He added that, the direct calls made from the hospital to Northern Cape for Health, Maruping Lekwene, as well as the acting Health Head of Department (HOD), Mxolisi Mlatha, and the Northern Cape Premier, Dr Zamani Saul, also remain unanswered.
“The DA condemns the pitiful response to the water crisis at Hester Malan Hospital by operational management and political leadership. By ignoring this serious failure, they are also neglecting to stand up for the sick people of this province.
“I will make my dissatisfaction known to the HOD, MEC and Premier, in writing. I will also raise my misgivings about the health department’s commitment towards quality health care at next week’s budget meeting, insisting on an explanation and a definite turn-around time for the restoration of water to the facility,” said Fritz.
He said Lekwene, Mlatha and Saul can snub them, but they will not silence them in their fight for better healthcare.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Department of Health spokesperson, Lebogang Mahaja failed to respond to The Guardian Newspaper’s media inquiry even though he promised to do so a week ago.
The Guardian 