A number of irate Laudium residents are up in arms claiming that services at the Laudium Clinic are now being compromised, since the sudden influx of patients from Olievenhoutbosch.
This follows the destruction of the Olievenhoutbosch clinic by protesters last Tuesday, March 6.
When the Laudium Sun visited the local clinic, at the Laudium Civic Centre, the facility run by the local municipality was indeed filled to capacity, mainly with residents from Olievenhoutbosch. Local resident Angie Naidoo, complained bitterly to our reporter that she had waited for over seven hours to be attended to. “These people from Olievenhoutbosch are now using the Laudium Clinic. I don't have anything against them, but why did they burn their own clinic down? Now we must all suffer.”
An Olievenhoutbosch patient at the clinic who identified herself only as Sarah said, “The nurses here in Laudium are not doing their jobs properly. These protesters who have burnt down our clinic in Olievenhoutbosch have caused an inconvenience to us. We have been standing in line waiting for the clinic to open from 6:30 am this morning and we had to pay taxi fare to get here.”
The Laudium Sun spoke to Maria Skosana, the manager of the Laudium Clinic, who said that it was unfair that her staff now had to work over time, but were nevertheless trying their best to accommodate all patients. Maria added, “It is also unfair to the people of Laudium, who now have to wait in long queues to accommodate these people from Olievenhoutbosch who are not prepared to wait in line patiently and are constantly complaining. When we ask some of the Olievenhoutbosch patients to come back the next day, they flatly refuse, insisting on being treated the same day.”
Councillor Mahomed Essop said that plans are afoot to erect a mobile clinic in Olievenhoutbosch, until the permanent structure is repaired. He urged local community members to be patient, as Laudium nurses were trying their very best to attend to over 200 people daily.
Patients from Olievenhoutbosch flooded the Laudium Clinic after the clinic facilities in Olievenhoutbosch were set alight by protesters.
Councillor Mahomed Essop.
Laudium Clinic manager, Maria Skosana said they were working overtime to accommodate everyone.