Some health officials and the Kwazakhele community closed part of the Kwazakhele clinic on Wednesday in an ongoing dispute over understaffing and security issues at the facility.
Unhappy clinic staff said they have been joined by the community at large in an effort to force the clinic management in Nelson Mandela Bay to listen to their grievances.
One worker, who asked to remain anonymous because he fears reprisal from the Department of Health, said they are chronically understaffed. He said they were also worried about the safety of clinic personnel because there have been a number of robberies at the facility.
The clinic was closed on Wednesday morning even though the nurses were not on strike.  
Health spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said nurses are not allowed to go on strike as they have legally been classified as an essential service.
The secretary for the clinic committee Cindy Magida said the protest was sparked by an incident on Monday when a doctor was robbed.
She said she wanted to make it clear that the clinic has not been closed.
“We had problems with the new computer system at the clinic but people can come fetch their chronic medicine tomorrow,” she said.
She said only part of the facility, the day hospital, will be closed but clinic services are going on as per normal.