Phaahla’s promise to unemployed doctors is stillborn

Health Minister Joe Phaahla did not keep his promise to employ young unemployed doctors in public hospitals by 1 April, and now one of those doctors has decided that he and his wife will move to the UK next year to specialise and work there.

A doctor who completed his community service year in 2023 was still hoping to be employed in a public hospital recently, although he already had made plans to sell his car because he could not afford to pay for it any more.

Just three days later, Phaahla announced during the State of the Nation Address debate that his department and National Treasury had found a solution to the crisis of unemployed doctors.

The doctor, who wanted to remain anonymous to avoid being targeted, said not much had come from the minister’s pledge.

After applying for 25 posts at public hospitals, he was called for one interview a month ago and was one of six doctors on the short list. He has heard nothing back.

He does not know of one other unemployed doctor who got a post and said it was not a case of discrimination as it affected white and black unemployed doctors.

“I never once thought that one day I would be an unemployed doctor.

“I have skills that I worked for over the past nine years and I am sitting at home.”

His wife is completing her year of community service and he said they have now decided to get their qualifications in order to be able to work in the UK next year.

They love South Africa and do not want to leave, but they have no choice, he said.

“We have no other choice and we will specialise there.

“In three years’ time, when we are qualified, we will see if we can come back and work here or in another country.”

Although Phaahla previously said that the problem was that young doctors did not want to work in rural areas, this doctor and his wife are prepared to work anywhere in the rural areas, yet they cannot find jobs in any public hospital.

The doctor knows of qualified doctors offering to work in public hospitals for free, but they are turned down.

This is despite them being prepared to work in a system where babies have to be delivered without the doctors having access to sterile gloves.