Revolutionary Greetings

As I reflect on our journey as SAMATU, it is with a deep sense of pride and optimism that I can irrefutably say that together we have formed a union that will carve a better path for the future of healthcare in our country. I write not as an individual, but as a voice for a collective that refuses to accept the status quo when it comes to the welfare of patients or the dignity of the medical profession. Our union stands on a foundation built by those who chose service over self-interest, and it is in that spirit that SAMATU continues to grow steadily, purposefully, and with increasing resolve.

The growth we celebrate is not growth for its own sake. It is growth with discipline and accountability; the kind of growth that expands our capacity to influence policy, mobilise collective action, and support medical doctors in every setting to deliver care that is both technically excellent and compassionate. As we continue to grow from strength to strength, let us be mindful that strength is measured not only by membership numbers or influence in corridors of power, but by the lives we touch, the patients who recover under our care, and the communities that trust us with their most vulnerable moments.

The year 2026 marks a milestone that speaks to our resilience and our capacity to organise for the common good. SAMATU held a successful second national elective congress, a convergence of minds, expertise, and courage from across our provinces. The tone of the congress was set by thoughtful debate, robust participation, and a clear commitment to charting a trajectory that elevates the standard of care while strengthening the rights and protections of medical practitioners who continue to selflessly provide healthcare services to those in need. The outcomes of this congress are not merely resolutions on a page; they are a promise enacted in practice; to shepherd reform with transparency, to pursue justice with humility, and to ensure that every physician, regardless of circumstance, has a voice in the governance of our profession.

The pressures faced by medical practitioners today are real; resource constraints, workforce shortages compounded by the consistent unemployment of qualified doctors, and the persistent attack on the livelihoods of doctors by the employer. SAMATU’s response is to double down on advocacy that is principled, data-driven, and resolute. We amplify the voices of doctors who contemplate the ethical dimensions of care under pressure, who balance clinical judgment with the realities of the systems in which they operate, and who strive to uphold the sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship amid competing demands, including safety and security risks that they are exposed to daily.

SAMATU is not a union that merely reacts to injustices; it is an organisation that shapes the standards by which injustice will be confronted and overcome. Our mission is clear, to safeguard the integrity of the medical fraternity, to advance conditions that enable safe and effective patient care, and to ensure that the needs and rights of medical practitioners are central to health policy discussions at every level of government and in every sphere of public health administration. This mission is not aspirational in the abstract; it is actionable in the daily practice of medicine.

The organisation stood firm at its second national elective congress, delivering a powerful mandate to confront the systemic erosion of doctors' livelihoods and the healthcare system at large. Our profession faces an unprecedented onslaught from short-sighted austerity measures, unjust salary reductions, and the calculated removal of hard-earned allowances by provincial departments. SAMATU will not stand by while the financial security of our frontline healers is compromised. We are aggressively challenging the ongoing attack on commuted overtime and compensation disparities to ensure that every medical practitioner receives a fair compensation and benefits they deserve.

Moving forward, our union is actively mobilising to dismantle the systemic roadblocks that leave qualified, passionate medical practitioners sit at home unemployed while public healthcare facilities suffer from severe understaffing. We demand the immediate resolution of delays plaguing the filling of all the vacant clinical positions in every public healthcare facility. Furthermore, we are drawing a hard line against the exploitation of contract and sessional workers, demanding a permanent end to employment insecurity and the structural neglect of our human resources.

To every medical practitioner who dedicates themselves to the service of the vulnerable, you deserve an organised, principled, and effective partner in your corner. SAMATU stands ready to be that partner.

I invite every medical practitioner to make SAMATU their union of choice. Join us in shaping a future where doctors are supported, heard, and valued as essential contributors in the healthcare ecosystem of our country. Let us unify our voices to advocate against injustices suffered by those who sacrifice their lives serving needy communities. Let us insist on fair conditions for medical practitioners, transparent processes, and policies that translate clinical excellence into tangible improvements in the quality of healthcare delivered to our patients.

In gratitude for the trust you have placed in the current administration of SAMATU, and in confidence for what we will achieve together, I reassert, SAMATU is your union, and your union is SAMATU. Let us move forward with purpose, with unity, and with the steadfast belief that, when doctors stand together, communities heal.

Amandla!!
Dr Tshilidzi Sadiki
President of SAMATU