Helen Joseph emergency notice sparks row as Gauteng Health says message was unauthorised

A notice posted at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg on 6 August 2026 warned patients to seek care elsewhere after the trauma unit head said the department could not guarantee safe care, prompting a public dispute between the Gauteng Department of Health and opposition politicians over staffing and unpaid contracts.

What the notice said and the department response

Dr Patricia Saffy, who heads the hospital’s trauma unit, reportedly posted a notice on 6 August 2026 advising patients that they would be better off going to another facility. According to the notice, the emergency department would remain closed for the rest of August as a result.

The Gauteng Department of Health distanced itself from that communication. Spokesperson Steve Mabona said on 7 August 2026 that the notice was circulating on social media and had nothing to do with the hospital or the department. He said the department “sincerely apologises to patients, families and the public” for the anxiety and confusion the unauthorised communication caused.

“The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has noted with concern a notice circulating on social media claiming that patients classified as Yellow (Priority 2) at Helen Joseph Tertiary Hospital’s (HJTH) Emergency Department would not be attended to and should not come to the hospital for medical care.” Steve Mabona

Claims of unpaid staff and staffing gaps

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said the notice reflected a dangerous situation at the hospital. The party said medical officers’ contracts had not been renewed, leaving many emergency department staff working without pay or valid contracts since April 2026, and that this had driven at least two doctors to resign.

DA Gauteng health spokesperson Madeleine Hicklin said:

“Patients seeking admission to the emergency department at Helen Joseph tertiary hospital have been advised to seek treatment at another hospital. This is putting patients’ lives and health in danger.”

The DA also cited a Health Ombudsman investigation from March 2025, saying Helen Joseph Hospital was operating with a 30% vacancy rate concentrated in nursing and specialised units and had lacked permanent executive leadership for an extended period.

Department assurances and operational pressure

Despite acknowledging operational pressure, including staffing challenges, the Gauteng Department of Health said patients were still being received, assessed and treated. Mabona said the department worked on interventions to keep services running safely and reminded hospital staff that official information must be communicated through authorised Departmental Communication platforms.

“The department assures the public that patients continue to be received, assessed and treated at all our hospitals in line with established clinical protocols. Patients presenting at the Emergency department are assessed by healthcare professionals and prioritised according to the urgency of their medical condition.” Steve Mabona

Calls for updated planning

Hicklin linked the problems at Helen Joseph to a wider issue across Gauteng’s public hospitals, saying the organisational plans that determine staffing and funding were last updated 20 years ago. She said many of the province’s hospitals had submitted updated plans for approval but that those submissions had been gathering dust in the premier’s office for at least two years.

The DA called on Premier Panyaza Lesufi to sign off on the updated organisational plans so that planning and budgeting could be improved.

What remains clear

The incident has highlighted competing accounts: a notice posted by a senior clinician warning patients to seek care elsewhere, the department’s statement that the notice was unauthorised and assurances that patients continue to be seen, and opposition claims about unpaid contracts and staff resignations.