A nurse was kidnapped on her way home from work at KwaDukuza Hospital on Monday, apparently by striking public service workers, said the KwaZulu-Natal health department.

Spokesman Chris Maxon said the nurse was one of the people hired by the department to help during the strike.

Her captors told her to phone the hospital to let it know what had happened to her, he said.

"She has still not been found."

"The people who allegedly abducted her made her phone the hospital and told the hospital to release all the nurses working before abducting the nurse," said Maxon.

"The department is shocked to hear such news happening to people who are committed to providing health [care] were being victimised in this matter," he said, hoping the culprits were found and placed behind bars.

Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said the crime intelligence unit was working on the case.

"The nurse told the matron on duty that she was abducted and that her kidnappers will only release her once all nurses on duty from the hospital were removed from duty," said Naicker.

The nurse called the matron on duty around 6.30am on Monday morning, he said.

Naicker said the woman did not give her whereabouts.

When police tried to call her, the nurse's cell phone was on voicemail, he said.

Naicker said police could not give further details on case especially nurse's identity fearing it would jeopardise the investigation.