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South Africa: Unemployed Doctors Protest in Pietermaritzburg [GroundUp] They want hospitals to be able to recruit directly

South Africa: Unemployed Doctors Protest in Pietermaritzburg They want hospitals to be able to recruit directly About 50 unemployed doctors protested outside the offices of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday, demanding jobs. In a memorandum to Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane, the doctors demand postings for some 200 unemployed doctors in the province. Follow us onWhatsApp|LinkedInfor the latest headlines They also demand a sustainable plan to address unemployment in the future, priority consideration for unemployed doctors when filling open positions, equal job opportunities for bursary and non-bursary holders, and the decentralisation of the recruitment process to allow hospitals to hire doctors directly. According to Tholumusa Sibiya, the convener of the committee of the unemployed doctors, some of the doctors protesting on Wednesday have been unemployed since2024. Hospitals are not hiring doctors even though they are short-staffed, said Sibiya. According to the KZN health department's 2024/2025 annual report, the vacancy rate was at10% across all postingsin the 2025 financial year. "So, what you see here is a group of unemployed doctors…

Unemployed doctors protest for posts outside KwaZulu-Natal premier's office Hundreds of unemployed medical graduates gathered outside the KwaZulu-Natal Premier’s office in Pietermaritzburg on 17 June 2026 to demand urgent intervention regarding the lack of permanent posts within the public healthcare sector. The demonstration marks a continuation of long-standing tensions between the state and newly qualified doctors, who claim that government budget constraints have left more than 200 medical professionals without jobs in the province. According to Dr. Simphiwe Sibiya, secretary of the KZN Unemployed Doctors Association, the provincial Department of Health previously committed to creating 300 posts, yet only 110 were advertised. Dr. Sibiya stated that the current situation requires immediate intervention, noting: “We demand answers, but more importantly, we demand action.” Related news:Family Appeals For Community Support As Durban Toddler Battles Rare Disorder Protesters are calling for the decentralisation of the recruitment process to allow individual hospitals to directly hire medical staff, bypassing the current centralised system which they argue is failing to place cand…

Unemployed doctors protest in PMB, demand posts in KZN Health sector The KZN Unemployed Doctors Committee says more than 200 doctors remain jobless despite ongoing staff shortages and mounting pressure on public healthcare facilities. Unsplash/Hennie Stander A group of unemployed doctors is staging a protest in Pietermaritzburg. They are calling on the provincial government to create posts for qualified medical professionals who are struggling to find jobs. The group is demonstrating outside the Natalia Building which houses the offices of the Premier and the KZN Health Department’s headquarters. Healthcare staffing crisis The KZN Unemployed Doctors Committee says more than 200 doctors in the province are currently without work, despite ongoing staff shortages and pressure on public healthcare facilities. Committee representative Yanga Mbhele says the problem has dragged on for several years, with the Department of Health repeatedly citing budget constraints for not employing doctors who've completed their community service. He says the situation is placing the healthcare system under more strain, with employed doctors often working long hours and managing overwhelming patient loa…

KZN Health 'lied', say protesting unemployed doctors Home News Update KZN Health ‘lied’, say protesting unemployed doctors News Update KZN Health ‘lied’, say protesting unemployed doctors June 17, 2026 Facebook X WhatsApp Linkedin Email Hundreds of unemployed doctors protested outside the KwaZulu-Natal Premier’s office in Pietermaritzburg yesterday, accusing the provincial Department of Health of lying and failing to honour promises to create desperately needed posts, The Witness reports. Despite public facilities battling staff shortages, the province’s inability to absorb qualified medical professionals is frustrating and concerning, they said. Secretary of the KZN Unemployed Doctors Association Dr Simphiwe Sibiya said that the department had promised to release 300 doctor posts last year but ultimately advertised only 110 vacancies. The doctors were no longer interested in assurances and wanted decisive action from the government, he added. The group called on provincial authorities to urgently address the shortage of funded posts and provide a clear plan for the employment of unemployed medical graduates. The Witness article – WATCH | Unemployed KZN doctors protest delayed job…