Frustrated residents of Valdezia are demanding urgent action from the Limpopo Department of Health as their deteriorating clinic operates only nine hours a day. On Monday, 9 December, about 70 residents blocked the D4 road between Elim and Malamulele, seeking answers from the department.
Last Tuesday, 10 December, a child bitten by a dog was turned away from the clinic because of a lack of medication and referred to Elim Hospital, 15 km away. Serving a population of 13,000 to 15,000, the clinic has endured years of neglect.
Despite having a maternity room, the clinic operates only from 07:00 to 16:00 on weekdays and remains closed on weekends. During a visit by Limpopo Mirror, a nurse was found working in the maternity room with patient files scattered on beds. The clinic used to operate 24 hours a day, with nurses accommodated nearby, but this is no longer the case.
The nurses' accommodation is in a state of disrepair, with broken doors and unusable toilets. The clinic itself has three enviro toilets for visitors, while internal toilets are frequently dysfunctional. Chronic understaffing leads to long queues, with patients often waiting over four hours in unpleasant conditions, including a stench from faulty drainage systems. Protesters described the conditions as hazardous.
Built in 1888 by Swiss missionaries, the clinic has significantly deteriorated. All air conditioners are non-functional, and one room is being used to store medication, despite concerns that high temperatures may compromise its efficacy.
Last week, protesters gathered at the clinic gate while Department of Health officials held a meeting to address their concerns. The protests were prompted by a complaint letter sent by the Valdezia Clinic Committee to the department in April, requesting a 24-hour facility and a new clinic building. While the department acknowledged receipt of the letter, residents say no action has followed.
Community members expressed concerns about the shared use of the maternity room, arguing it compromises patient care and emergency services.
"We're tired of paying R500 to go to Elim Hospital because our clinic isn't open 24 hours. There's no dedicated ambulance—it has to come from Louis Trichardt, 34 km away," said resident Ms Gloria Manhengeni.
Residents also recounted incidents of women giving birth on the road and patients being left untreated because of the clinic's limited hours. A nurse, speaking anonymously, revealed that the clinic has only four nurses, with one having resigned due to poor working conditions, another hospitalised with depression, and a third having left recently. "With just one cleaner and insufficient staff, managing the workload is a constant struggle," the nurse said.
The protests were led by the Valdezia Concern Group. "We gave the department 14 days to act. While they've added one nurse today, other promises, like extending hours, remain unfulfilled. If they don't act, we'll take our concerns to their offices," said group member Mr Shumani Maboko.
Limpopo Department of Health spokesperson Mr Neil Shikwambana said the department was addressing some of the issues. "We are working to resolve short-term challenges. However, the matter of the small building cannot be fixed immediately," Shikwambana said.
He added that operational changes were being implemented gradually. "The clinic will start operating full days and weekends. Additional staff will be brought in from other areas to improve services," he said.