Note to editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Madeleine Hicklin MPL.
- Air-conditioning failures delay major orthopaedic surgeries at Steve Biko Hospital.
- Families report worsening health and a death amid prolonged surgery delays.
- The DA demands accountability for repeated maintenance failures.
For the second time in less than 12 months, patients needing major orthopaedic surgery at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Tshwane are facing severe surgery postponements because the hospital’s operating theatre (OT) complex air-conditioning system has collapsed. Hospitals, and particularly OT complexes, rely on an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system that runs through the building, controls heating and air quality, and limits the spread of airborne pathogens throughout the facility.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng calls on Premier Panyaza Lesufi to show leadership by holding his MEC of Health, Faith Mazibuko, and the MEC of Infrastructure Development, Jacob Mamabolo, accountable for the poor state of this hospital’s infrastructure. We have tabled questions to the health MEC to determine exactly how many of the hospital’s chillers were revamped, at what cost, and why the contractors responsible for their maintenance and repairs did not complete the full repairs.
The DA has received numerous complaints from patients admitted to Steve Biko Academic Hospital with broken hips over the past six weeks whose operations were postponed because theatre temperatures could not be controlled. Proper temperature control is essential to reduce airborne infection risks, particularly during orthopaedic surgery involving bone.
Orthopaedic patients have been told their surgeries are postponed until the problem is resolved. Shorter procedures continue, but complex fracture repairs and hip and knee replacements remain suspended. Theatre temperatures are reportedly well above 20°C, exceeding the stated requirement of around 18°C for infection control and safe conditions during lengthy operations.
One family told the DA their diabetic mother has had hip surgery postponed at least five times since falling more than three weeks ago. This has caused severe blood glucose fluctuations, worsened her health, and further complicated surgery. She has been informed that she could wait up to six weeks for surgery because theatre temperatures remain unsafe.
Another family told the DA their mother died of sepsis from a bedsore developed during a five-week wait for hip replacement surgery. They said she was admitted with intact skin, but the neglected wound grew larger than a palm of one’s hand before her death. Her surgery was repeatedly postponed because allegedly the “theatre was too warm” for the doctors to operate safely.
The Gauteng Health’s failure to maintain critical infrastructure has once again left patients paying the price. This is the third time in seven years that the facility’s HVAC system has collapsed, following major failures in 2019 and October 2025. These repeated breakdowns are unacceptable and expose the department’s failure to learn from past crises and prevent further disruptions to patient care.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would prioritise patient safety by ensuring regular, preventative maintenance of hospital infrastructure, addressing faults before they escalate into crises that disrupt care and put lives at risk.