A linen shortage at the hospital was caused by washing machines breaking down at the provincial health department's Sea Cow Lake laundry.

During a visit to the hospital, Dr Thokozani Mhlongo, the province's deputy director general of health, told the committee the outsourcing should alleviate the situation until new laundries were opened next year at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital.

Earlier this month, KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo admitted that the department had neglected the laundry services at provincial hospitals.

The Mercury newspaper reported that all provincial hospitals were battling to get clean operating theatre linen.

Doctors at Addington Hospital in Durban reportedly threatened to close down operating theatres if the health department did not act to provide clean linen.