The North West Department of Health's spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, confirms that security personnel from the security company, Opera, had earlier this morning shut down both the Tshepong and Klerksdorp hospitals due to unpaid salaries. 

He says the matter has been communicated to the Security Directorate, who indicated that they have processed three months' invoices for Opera, but the invoices were delayed by the system. 

Lekgethwane says the department has engaged the service provider who promised to use their own reserves to pay the outstanding one month of the two months they owe the security guards by Saturday. 

The police have since been called to come and open the gates of both hospitals.

"The security company has indicated that they deployed another group of 18 of their security personnel who arrived in Klerksdorp last night, and will be assisting on the ground today and throughout the weekend and the week ahead. Furthermore, they are processing salaries for hospitals ‘with what we have in our account’ while paying invoices is in process," he adds.

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