A mother's alarming experience reveals issues in Tygerberg Hospital's maternity care
An untidy section in the maternity ward of Tygerberg Hospital.
Image: Supplied
A recent experience in the maternity ward at Tygerberg Hospital has left new mother Leechae Abrahams alarmed and concerned about the standards of patient care and cleanliness at the facility.
After attending the hospital throughout her pregnancy, Abrahams gave birth in November 2025 and returned for an overnight stay with her newborn.
Abrahams had found that the conditions had not improved since her previous visits.
According to Abrahams, there was a severe lack of assistance, with very few nurses and doctors available to attend to patients. She also described the hospital environment as unhygienic and neglected.
"There was no assistance or help for hours, very few nurses and doctors available to patients, and no concern for the filth in the hospital," she said.
She explained that her experiences both during her pregnancy and leading up to the birth were unpleasant and frightening, as she constantly feared that either she or her baby could become ill or die due to the conditions in the ward.
"These are the beds that came out for us," said new mom Leechae Abrahams, describing her experience at the Tygerberg Hospital maternity ward.
Image: Supplied
Abrahams described the ward she stayed in as "filthy and disgusting", adding that even after being moved to a different ward, the situation did not improve.
"I didn’t even want to use the toilet most of the time because of how bad it smelled and how dirty it was. There were multiple occasions when there was no toilet paper. One of the showers was out of order, so everyone had to use a single shower. Blood on the floor was not cleaned for three whole days," she said.
Blood drops inside the Tygerberg Hospital bathroom in the maternity ward.
Image: Supplied
What shocked her most, she added, was witnessing other patients in severe pain who were unable to get help due to staff shortages.
Abrahams said she was scheduled for a Caesarean section on the 12th, but ended up waiting in pain for an entire day.
"I was number five on the list for the morning. There were many of us waiting in the room for C-sections, and some had already been waiting for several days. Everything took very long. Eventually, we were told our procedures had to be moved to the next day because there wasn’t enough time and not enough staff."
A shower that was out of order and only one other was available, according to Abrahams.
Image: Supplied
She said panic set in as she was forced to wait until the early hours of the following morning before being taken into theatre.
When she raised concerns about the cleanliness of the ward with nursing staff, she was told that the hospital did not have enough funds to employ more cleaners and that nurses did not have the time to clean themselves.
Abrahams also documented the quality of the meals for new moms. In the picture, there are two slices of bread, a cup of coffee, a bowl of oats, and a side of tinned fish.
Image: Supplied
In response, Tygerberg Hospital Communications Officer Laticia Pienaar acknowledged that cleaning demands may exceed capacity during exceptionally busy periods.
However, she stated that the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness (WCDHW) had not received any formal complaints regarding cleanliness or meal standards in the Tygerberg Hospital maternity ward prior to Abrahams’ social media post.
Pienaar explained that the labour ward had experienced exceptional pressure in recent weeks, operating at full capacity after assisting neighbouring hospitals.
"This increased patient load placed additional strain on infrastructure and support services, including cleaning services," she said.
She also addressed concerns about a shower facility shown in images shared online, explaining that it had been cordoned off after a showerhead was stolen.
"Patients continued to have access to alternative shower facilities within the ward. Replacement equipment has been ordered and will be installed as soon as it is delivered," Pienaar said.
Pienaar added that the hospital recognises that childbirth is both physically and emotionally demanding and encouraged patients and their families to raise concerns directly with ward management or healthcare staff.
"This allows staff to respond immediately and provide support while the patient is still in our care."
She assured that the (WCDHW) acknowledges the concerns raised, and "understands the distress such images may cause, and continues to monitor the situation closely while supporting staff working under significant pressure".
Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.
Cape Argus