On August 16, 2024, in Hammanskraal Kanana, my son was mercilessly injured during a robbery. Desperate for medical attention, we rushed to Jubilee Hospital, one of the health care systems in our community. To my dismay, my badly hurt son was not attended to in due time largely due to the appalling health care service rendered by the hospital. His condition worsened; he was bleeding and swollen, yet no medical personnel attended to us. In the end, I had to discharge him in that dire state, risking further medical complications.

This is just one instance. Many have faced horrifying situations like mine. Patients, whether critical or stable, are left unattended for hours, sometimes days. Worse still, admitted patients sleep on the floor due to lack of available beds. These tragic conditions have become the norm at this health institution, where men, women, and children should get healed, not ignored.

It points to a stark reality: the healthcare system in Jubilee Hospital is not up to standard, posing a threat to every member of our community. Our lives are at risk, and we are placed on the sidelines of medical care.

Let's remember that quality healthcare is not a privilege but a right. We demand Jubilee Hospital provides an urgent and necessary reform of their services, with regular oversight and improvements in their casualty unit. We require an immediate end to the gross mismanagement of patient admissions, ensuring all patients have access to beds and are not left languishing on the floor.

Let's stand together to ensure that what happened to my son does not happen to anyone else in our community. We deserve better, and together, we can make better happen. Please, sign this petition and let us make a change.