The Gauteng Department of Health has strongly dismissed claims by a provincial legislator that patients at Bheki Mlangeni Hospital have been sleeping on plastic mattress covers for two months due to linen shortages.
This was in response to Dr Jack Bloom, a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, who made the claims in media statements, accompanied by photographs purporting to show the conditions at the hospital.
However, the department has dismissed both the allegations and the supporting evidence as misleading.
Photos don’t match Bheki Mlangeni hospital layout
According to Motalatale Modiba, Head of Communication for the Gauteng Department of Health, the images provided by Bloom do not accurately represent the facility.
“The pictures shared with the media by Dr Bloom are not a true depiction of the reality at Bheki Mlangeni Hospital,” Modiba stated.
“The facility has no wards with similar paints or floors as depicted in the photos.”
The department expressed disappointment with what it characterised as deliberate misinformation from an elected representative who should be supporting rather than undermining public healthcare facilities.
Adequate linen supply available
Modiba confirmed that the hospital currently maintains sufficient clean linen stocks to meet patient needs.
“Bheki Mlangeni Hospital currently has enough clean linen in the institutional linen bank to cover all the demands from various wards,” she explained.
The hospital has implemented a dual-source laundry system to ensure a consistent supply.
While previously relying solely on Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital’s laundry services, capacity constraints led to the addition of Dunswart Laundries as a supplementary provider, delivering clean linen three times weekly.
Winter weather explains extra blankets
The department attributed any additional bedding observed at the hospital to seasonal factors rather than supply shortages.
Modiba noted that during the current winter period, it is common practice for patients to bring personal blankets for additional warmth during admission.
Patients experiencing any issues with linen provision are encouraged to report concerns through proper channels.
“Any patient who claims to be sleeping on a plastic mattress cover at any of our facilities is advised to lodge their complaints with the management or with the quality assurance office,” Modiba advised.
Department criticises political manoeuvring
The health department expressed particular concern about the manner in which the allegations were raised, suggesting they represented a misuse of political office.
“It is shocking and uncalled for that a public representative would distort facts to mislead the public in this manner rather than using their position to positively impact the communities they represent,” Modiba stated.
R50 million investment in laundry infrastructure
Despite dismissing the immediate allegations, the department acknowledged broader challenges with laundry equipment across provincial hospitals.
A substantial investment programme is underway to address these systemic issues, with R50 million allocated for equipment upgrades and replacements throughout the hospital network.
The funding will target critical laundry machinery requiring overhaul across all provincial healthcare facilities.
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