Memorial service held for intern doctor who died on duty, PSA hold picket to demand justice
Dr Alulutho Mazwi died while on duty. A memorial service was held on Wednesday at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in uMlazi.
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A memorial service was held on Wednesday for intern doctor Dr Alulutho Mazwi, who tragically died while on duty at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital last week.
A picket was also held outside the hospital on Wednesday by members of the Public Servants Association (PSA) who are calling for accountability and justice following Dr Mazwi's death.
The PSA said the picket was not only a form of protest but a collective expression of grief and outrage over systemic failures in the public health sector.
“The PSA was deeply disturbed by the tragic death of Dr Alulutho Mazwi, a young and promising intern doctor, under circumstances that appear to have been influenced by systemic failures, a toxic work environment, and alleged emotional abuse,” said PSA KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Manager, Mlungisi Ndlovu.
Members of the Public Servants Association (PSA) held a picket outside the hospital on Wednesday to demand accountability for Dr Mazwi's death.
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He added: “It is a call for justice, not only for Dr Mazwi but for all healthcare workers who continue to endure bullying, intimidation, burnout, and neglect in an increasingly broken health system.”
Among the union’s primary grievances are chronic staff shortages, alleged bullying by senior staff, and what it calls an unsafe work environment for junior healthcare professionals. Interns and junior doctors at the hospital have allegedly raised concerns about being overworked, unsupported, and subjected to what the PSA describes as dehumanising treatment by some members of management.
“Feedback indicates that staff, particularly interns and junior personnel, feel unsafe and unsupported. There is an atmosphere of fear and hopelessness, with many reluctant to speak out due to fear of retaliation,” Ndlovu said.
The PSA confirmed it had previously submitted grievances to hospital management and escalated the matter to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health. In the aftermath of Dr Mazwi’s death, the union submitted a formal memorandum demanding an independent investigation, the precautionary suspension of implicated individuals, and urgent intervention.
Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has since announced that the supervisor of Dr Mazwi has been suspended, and the Health Ombud will investigate the matter.
While the PSA welcomed the involvement of the Health Ombud, Ndlovu said: “The PSA is not fully satisfied with this step alone. The depth of the crisis requires a broader independent commission of inquiry. We call for oversight from Chapter 9 institutions, participation from organised labour, full transparency and protection for whistleblowers, and legal action where negligence is found.”
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal has also weighed in, with MPL Dr Imran Keeka welcoming the suspension and Ombud investigation. “The DA further welcomes an independent investigation by the Health Ombudsman into this matter,” Keeka said in a letter to the editor.
He also confirmed that the party is aware of another doctor recently admitted to hospital following a mental health episode allegedly caused by a “toxic work environment”. According to Keeka, the doctor reported that efforts were being made by his senior manager to “work me out”.
The DA said it plans to raise the issue at the upcoming KZN Health Portfolio Committee meeting and will propose the introduction of anonymous whistle-blowing mechanisms within the Department of Health.
“There can be no place for such conduct within our province’s health facilities,” said Keeka.
Among the PSA’s demands for immediate change at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital are the deployment of mental health professionals, filling of critical posts, the suspension of implicated supervisors, improved HR and grievance procedures, and protection for whistleblowers.