KARIEGA – An engagement between the Somali Community in Kariega and the Uitenhage Provincial Hospital (UPH) Board has sparked controversy among some Kariega residents, culminating in a protest on 30 January 2026.
The meeting, held on 27 January, was convened between representatives of the Somali Community, led by Chairperson Abdul Omar, and members of the UPH Board.
It was chaired by Tim Macquire, the Board Treasurer and Sub-Committee Chairperson for Infrastructure. Also in attendance was Charlotte Bouwer, Chairperson of the Patient Care and Quality Assurance portfolio, along with representatives from organised labour.
During the meeting, Somali Community representatives expressed appreciation for the Board’s reception and proposed a partnership aimed at supporting service improvement at the hospital. They acknowledged the broader challenges faced by the public healthcare sector and highlighted specific concerns affecting their community, particularly language and cultural barriers impacting patient care.
These concerns were acknowledged by the Board, which explained existing protocols for lodging service-related complaints.
Issues of staff shortages and infrastructure constraints were also raised. Board members indicated that plans were underway to address these challenges through engagement with the Department of Health, community-based organisations, and the private sector.
According to the Board, the proposed partnership was intended to benefit all users within the hospital’s service area and to improve patient and visitor understanding of hospital policies. Bouwer was tasked with compiling a comprehensive report for hospital management, incorporating proposals discussed during the meeting.
Macquire later clarified that the engagement arose after the Somali Community expressed a desire to donate toiletries to the hospital as a gesture of gratitude, noting that many in the community have been part of South African society for the past 30 years following civil unrest in Somalia.
He stated that he had advised that a preliminary meeting be held with himself as Treasurer, alongside union representatives and another Board member, to assess the hospital’s needs before any donation or partnership was formalised. He further noted that language and cultural barriers were acknowledged as challenges, which Somali representatives undertook to address within their own community.
Macquire confirmed that “the engagement was a sub-committee meeting and not a full statutory Board meeting. The outcomes of the discussion were intended to be tabled at a formal Board meeting, along with recommendations for hospital management.”
Subsequently, concerns were raised by some Kariega residents regarding the partnership, with claims that procedural protocols had not been correctly followed.
“While the Board acknowledged that the process was procedurally flawed, it maintained that the intent behind the engagement was well-meaning,” Macquire said.
Public dissatisfaction escalated into a protest on 30 January, with residents reportedly mobilising to physically oppose the partnership.
The UPH Board has since emphasised that any formal partnerships must follow established governance procedures and be inclusive of all stakeholders within the hospital’s service area.
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