A severe and protracted water shortage at the Segametsi Mogaetsho Clinic in Makwassie is causing a sanitation crisis, raising alarms for the health and safety of patients and staff.
According to the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA), the facility has been without a reliable water supply for over six months. The prolonged situation is reportedly causing mounting frustration for health officials, residents, and patients who rely on the clinic for care.
The crisis persists despite the existence of a borehole intended to serve the clinic. A spokesperson for Denosa confirmed that the borehole is operational but is failing to produce the required amount of water, leaving the clinic without a sufficient supply for basic sanitation and medical needs.
The ongoing water outage threatens to compromise hygiene standards at the healthcare facility, potentially impacting everything from handwashing and cleaning to sterile instrument processing. Community members have expressed growing concern over the impact on essential health services in the area.