According to the SA Medical Association Trade Union (SAMATU) 1,260 doctors who have completed community service remain unemployed while 1,100 medical officer posts nationwide are vacant. – The Citizen (26 Jan 2026)
“The union argues the result is a double loss. Trained doctors sit at home, while public facilities struggle with long queues and understaffed wards.”
SAMATU also claims that an additional R20.8bn added to health budgets to support compensation and essential services has not translated into doctor appointments at provincial level.