UMBOMBO - Bethesda Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal has not had reliable running water for five years.
This has left doctors and nurses frustrated, and patients staying in unhygienic wards.
The hospital has been surviving on water from tankers, but that's only enough for its theatre department.
The staff also says doctors and nurses are resigning because of the water crisis. There are other issues as well, with hospital management not reporting problems, safety concerns for female staff, and a shortage of employees.
Unions have had to intervene.
The Public Servants Association picketed outside the hospital, calling for answers from the provincial health department.
Meanwhile, the National Health and Allied Workers Union says long-term solutions are needed.
To get some answers about the crisis at the hospital, eNCA went to the Department of Health but it says water is not its responsibility.
The health department says it will investigate security issues and other grievances raised by staff.