---
title: "Watch — Somebody didn't care: how Grey's Hospital's failing air con became a nightmare"
description: "Grey's Hospital in Pietermaritzburg is a surgical lifeline for 4.5 million people across western KwaZulu-Natal. For years, its ageing air conditioning system has been breaking down, forcing surgery cancellations and endangering patients. The department knew. It had a plan. The plan failed. Now it has another plan."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "VIDEO"
author: "Craig Bentley-McKune"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/craig-bentleymckune/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-04-13-watch-somebody-didnt-care-how-greys-hospitals-failing-air-con-became-a-surgical-emergency/"
published: "2026-04-13T22:20:46"
updated: "2026-04-14T07:34:08"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 37
---

# Watch — Somebody didn't care: how Grey's Hospital's failing air con became a nightmare

> Grey's Hospital in Pietermaritzburg is a surgical lifeline for 4.5 million people across western KwaZulu-Natal. For years, its ageing air conditioning system has been breaking down, forcing surgery cancellations and endangering patients. The department knew. It had a plan. The plan failed. Now it has another plan.

By Craig Bentley-McKune · Published 14 April 2026, 00:20 SAST · Updated 14 April 2026, 09:34 SAST

## Content

[YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EXGs4tVlWE)

Reporting by: Craig Bentley-McKune
Edits and animation by: Joel Seboa
Filmed by: Joel Seboa
Produced by: Emilie Gambade
Creative input by: Malibongwe Tyilo
Sub-edited by: Ian Wolstenholme

Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a [Maverick Insider](https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick ).