Nkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, a cornerstone of specialist healthcare in KwaZulu-Natal, is in a state of collapse, reported Spotight (2 September2025).
A decrease of about 60% in the hospital’s surgical capacity; an exodus of specialists; critically understaffed intensive care units (ICUs); and a shortage of essential supplies are crippling the facility, with insiders describing an "austerity-fuelled" crisis that is costing lives daily.
“Several doctors trace the current disaster to a G77 notice issued by the KZN Department of Health on 14 November 2024 freezing all new purchase orders until April 2025 to curb overspending.
“Experts warn that the situation at Albert Luthuli is not an isolated incident but a reflection of a wider national crisis in public specialist care.”