10 January 2025

We have unemployed nurses too: Motsoaledi says government cannot hire every unemployed doctor

Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi has stated that while the government sympathizes with unemployed doctors, it is unable to hire them due to a lack of funds to cover their salaries.


Earlier this week, IOL reported concerns raised by the South African Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu) about 450 doctors who completed their mandatory community service but remain without employment. Samatu highlighted this ongoing issue of doctors struggling to find work after completing their statutory community service.


Motsoaledi, however, pointed out that the government is not obligated to employ every doctor who has finished their internship and community service. He clarified that after completing community service, doctors are fully qualified and free to pursue employment opportunities. They can apply for positions when advertised by the state, seek work in the private sector, or even establish their own practices. According to Motsoaledi, there is no provision for automatic employment or “absorption” into government positions after community service. He stressed that doctors, like any other graduates, must apply for jobs and are not guaranteed employment in the public sector.


Motsoaledi, who is also a doctor, expressed that while he personally wishes to see more people employed, he does not want to create the impression that doctors should receive special treatment. He noted that other health professionals, such as nurses and social workers, also face unemployment due to budgetary constraints and austerity measures.
Samatu, which has documented 450 unemployed doctors, has raised concerns about the lack of a strategy to retain doctors after community service, which it believes has serious implications for the public health system.

Samatus general secretary, Dr. Cedric Sihlangu, explained that the union has been engaging with the National Department of Health (NDoH) for years, stressing the need for a clear strategy to address the issue. He pointed out that while successive health ministers have acknowledged the seriousness of the problem, no concrete plan has been developed to resolve it. By mid-2024, approximately 800 doctors who had completed their statutory community service were still struggling to secure employment in the public sector.