Opinion Piece by Theodore Chikuma, also known as Theo King, activist and Director of Mr Central S.A & YEZ Models:
One could write not merely one book, but several best-selling volumes documenting the persistent and systemic failures of service delivery at Pelonomi Hospital in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in Heidedal, Bloemfontein.
The experiences of patients are so widespread and consistent that one could stop at almost any household in Bloemfontein and receive a detailed account of neglect, indignity, and institutional dysfunction associated with this facility. The quality of service has deteriorated to such an extent that even senior political officials, including Cllr. MaQueen Joyce Letsoha-Mathae, Premier of the Free State Provincial Government have reportedly experienced and acknowledged the poor standards of care at this hospital.
Initially, it may appear as though these failures disproportionately affect people of colour; however, direct observation confirms that the problem is systemic and not racially selective. White patients, too, are subjected to dismissive treatment, negligence, and a general lack of professional care – often at the hands of white medical practitioners themselves. This points to an entrenched culture of institutional neglect rather than isolated incidents of misconduct.
When citizens access public hospitals, they are too often treated as though they are a burden on the system.
They are regarded as second-class citizens or, worse, as expendable. This occurs despite the fact that public healthcare services are funded by taxpayers and are not charitable favours bestowed upon the public. South Africans have a legal and constitutional right to access healthcare services with dignity, respect, and reasonable quality.
Legal and Constitutional Framework Governing Public Healthcare in South Africa include:
- The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
- Section 27(1)(a) guarantees everyone the right to have access to healthcare services.
- Section 27(2) obliges the state to take reasonable legislative and other measures, within available resources, to progressively realise this right.
- Section 10 affirms the right to human dignity, which must be respected and protected at all times.
- Section 195 requires public administration to be governed by democratic values, including accountability, transparency, efficiency, and responsiveness.
The treatment of patients at Pelonomi Hospital, as described, represents a direct violation of these constitutional obligations:
- National Health Act 61 of 2003
- The Act establishes a uniform health system that promotes equitable access, efficiency, and quality healthcare.
- Section 6 requires that users be provided with full and accurate information regarding their health status and treatment options.
- Section 7 mandates informed consent for healthcare services. Section 8 requires that healthcare providers treat users with dignity and respect.
Chronic delays, misinformation, neglect, and avoidable deterioration of medical conditions constitute a failure to comply with this Act:
• Patients’ Rights Charter (South Africa)
Patients are entitled to:
- Respectful and non-discriminatory treatment;
- Timely emergency care;
- Access to safe and quality healthcare;
- Proper explanation of procedures and waiting times; and
- Continuity of care.
The routine dismissal of patients with severe pain, including dental emergencies, directly contravenes South Africa’s Batho Pele Principles.
These principles govern public service delivery and includes:
- Consultation
- Service standards
- Courtesy
- Access
- Information
- Openness and transparency Redress
- Value for money
The operational culture at Pelonomi Hospital appears to be in complete contradiction to these principles.
Also read: https://bloemnuus.co.za/surgery-backlogs-in-free-state-hospitals-keeps-patients-in-discomfort/
Dental Services: A Case Study of Institutional Neglect
The dental services at Pelonomi Hospital exemplify the broader systemic collapse. Patients queue as early as 5:00 merely to open a file at 8:00, only to be told to return hours later – or on another day entirely to access a student dentist. Many patients report being subjected to painful, inadequate procedures that exacerbate their condition rather than resolve it. Teeth are broken beyond repair, leading to avoidable surgical extractions that impose additional costs on the healthcare system through surgery, medication, and post-operative care.
It is alleged that critical dental equipment, including a tooth-cleaning machine, has been non-functional for nearly a decade and has never been replaced. This represents gross mismanagement of public resources and a failure to maintain essential medical infrastructure, despite ongoing budget allocations.
Even more alarming is the reported waiting period of up to a month for emergency dental surgery following an already traumatic experience. Patients suffering from acute toothaches are routinely sent home and instructed to return weeks later – effectively being told to endure pain, infection, and potential life-threatening complications. In practical terms, this equates to medical abandonment.
Human Cost and the Erosion of Trust
As a result of these systemic failures, many lives have been lost – some directly, others through preventable complications caused by delayed or inadequate care. The question that must be asked is: how many more lives must be lost before accountability is enforced?
Ironically, amidst this widespread dysfunction, one of the most humane and dignified aspects of the hospital experience is a gentleman who offers morning prayers for patients and provides clear guidance on hospital procedures.
This informal act of compassion stands in stark contrast to the institutional failure surrounding it and highlights how basic humanity has been replaced by bureaucracy and indifference.
Pelonomi Hospital’s poor service delivery is no longer an anomaly – it has become an institutional culture. This culture violates constitutional rights, statutory obligations, professional ethics, and the fundamental social contract between the state and its citizens.
Public healthcare in South Africa is not a favour; it is a right. Any system that treats its people otherwise is not merely inefficient – it is unlawful.
