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ActionSA welcomes the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) commitment to officially launch an investigation into the ongoing medication shortages in KwaZulu-Natal’s public healthcare facilities. This crisis has severely undermined human dignity, violated the right to proper healthcare, and infringed on fundamental human rights.

This crisis has severely undermined human dignity, violated the right to proper healthcare, and infringed on fundamental human rights.

This development is a testament to ActionSA’s relentless fight for justice on behalf of KZN residents. We will not be deterred by a government that has consistently failed its people.

While we acknowledge that the KZN Department of Health (DoH) has been summoned to respond to the SAHRC on this matter, it is deeply alarming that the department has failed to meet the commission’s deadline and has instead requested an extension.

This is, however, not surprising—MEC for Health, Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi, ignored all our correspondence and refused even to acknowledge our concerns. Instead, she falsely accused us of spreading misinformation, despite knowing that our claims were factual.

In an attempt to cover up its failures, the department launched a smear campaign to discredit our findings. However, this backfired as ordinary KZN residents came forward to expose the devastating impact of medication shortages on their lives.

The DoH failed to be transparent, and Premier Ntuli failed to address the crisis with the urgency it deserved. His only response was to claim that he had “engaged” the MEC and that the issue would not reoccur—an entirely inadequate resolution for a crisis of this magnitude.

The MEC for Health broke her oath of office by misleading the public, and she must be held accountable. ActionSA will ensure that consequences follow, as it is clear that the province’s leadership is unwilling to hold one another to account. The people of KZN deserve better, and we will not rest until justice is served.

Issued by ActionSA KZN Provincial Chairperson Zwakele Mncwango