Major orthopaedic surgeries at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Tshwane have been suspended after the collapse of the air conditioning system in the hospital’s operating theatre complex, forcing patients awaiting hip and knee replacements to wait indefinitely.

According to the Democratic Alliance (DA), the breakdown has raised serious patient safety concerns as temperatures in the operating theatres have climbed above 20°C, well above the 18°C threshold required to prevent airborne infection and maintain safe working conditions for surgical teams.

“It is necessary to prevent airborne infections due to contaminants in the reticulated air in the theatre,” the party said, confirming that complex surgeries had been halted until conditions are safe to proceed.

The failure stems from the breakdown of the hospital’s central heating, ventilation and air conditioning system which regulates temperature and air quality across the facility.

The DA noted that this is not the first such incident; in 2019, orthopaedic patients endured more than three weeks of delays when the same system broke down. The current failure is reportedly worse, with corroded pipes throughout the hospital now: “in dire need of replacement.”

The party has blamed decades of neglect. “This situation did not arise overnight. It is a result of 30 years of lack of maintenance,” the DA said, calling for urgent intervention from both provincial and national government.