WATCH | Unemployed KZN doctors protest delayed job posts
Dr Simphiwe Sibiya, said the department had promised to release 300 doctor posts last year but ultimately advertised only 110 vacancies.
Frustration boiled over outside the KwaZulu-Natal Premier’s office in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday as hundreds of unemployed doctors staged a protest, accusing the provincial Department of Health of failing to honour promises to create desperately needed posts.
The demonstration, the third picket organised by unemployed doctors, comes amid growing concerns over the province’s inability to absorb qualified medical professionals while public health facilities continue to grapple with staff shortages.
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Speaking during the protest, the secretary of the KZN Unemployed Doctors Association, Dr Simphiwe Sibiya, said the department had promised to release 300 doctor posts last year but ultimately advertised only 110 vacancies.
He said the doctors were no longer interested in assurances and wanted decisive action from the government.
“We demand answers, but more importantly, we demand action,” he said, adding that many qualified doctors remain without employment despite the healthcare system’s pressing need for medical personnel.
ALSO READ | Unemployed doctors protest over delayed job postings in KZN
The protesting doctors called on provincial authorities to urgently address the shortage of funded posts and provide a clear plan for the employment of unemployed medical graduates.
