Public Hospital Visiting Hours

Public hospitalsLast verified 13 September 2026

Public hospital visiting hours in South Africa are set by each state hospital and its provincial Department of Health, so times differ between provinces, hospitals and even wards. This page helps you find the right public hospital page, shows examples from official provincial sources, and explains what to confirm before you visit a patient at a provincial, regional, district or academic hospital.

Choose a public hospital: pick a hospital or guide below to get the most specific visiting information, then confirm times with the ward before you travel.

Find Visiting Hours

Search for the public hospital by name or town. Each hospital page shows the visiting hours we could verify, where they came from and when we last checked. For private facilities, use the private hospital visiting hours directory, or go back to the national visiting hours directory.

Facility pages for this section are being verified and will appear here as they are published. In the meantime, use the hospital visiting hours directory.

Popular Hospitals

These public hospital pages are among the most searched. Note the current official names: Victoria Mxenge Hospital was formerly King Edward VIII, King Dinuzulu Hospital was formerly King George V, and Harry Gwala Hospital was formerly Edendale.

  • Victoria Mxenge (King Edward VIII) Hospital, King Dinuzulu (King George V) Hospital, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Harry Gwala (Edendale) Hospital, Stanger Hospital, Port Shepstone Hospital, Ladysmith Provincial Hospital, Newcastle Provincial Hospital, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital
  • Steve Biko Hospital, Tshwane District Hospital, Kalafong Hospital, Jubilee Hospital, Odi Hospital
  • Paarl Hospital, George Hospital, Lentegeur Hospital, Mitchells Plain Hospital, Khayelitsha District Hospital, Worcester Hospital, Stellenbosch Hospital, Hermanus Provincial Hospital, Knysna Hospital, Mossel Bay Hospital, Vredenburg Hospital
  • Polokwane Provincial Hospital, Pelonomi Hospital, Universitas Hospital, Brits Hospital, Mafikeng Provincial Hospital, Ermelo Hospital, Witbank General Hospital, Provincial Hospital Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital

Visiting Hours by Hospital Type

South Africa’s public hospitals range from district hospitals to regional, tertiary and central academic hospitals. The level of hospital does not decide the visiting hours on its own: each facility publishes its own times. Official provincial pages we checked show how much they vary.

Public hospital (example only)Published visiting timesSource
Addington Hospital, DurbanMonday–Sunday 14:00–15:00 and 19:00–20:00KZN Department of Health
Port Shepstone Regional Hospital11:00–12:00 and 18:00–19:00 (listed as “current / temporary”); labour and maternity ward 14:00–16:00KZN Department of Health
Osindisweni Hospital11:00–12:00, 15:00–16:00 and 18:00–19:00, every day including weekends and public holidaysKZN Department of Health
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic HospitalDaily 13:00–15:00, including weekends (from 1 September 2025)Gauteng Department of Health
Sources listed below (checked 13 September 2026). These examples do not apply to other public hospitals.

The Gauteng Department of Health said the Chris Hani Baragwanath change followed consultation with staff, organised labour and clinical departments, and aimed to align visiting with clinical workflows, infection control and security. It shows that public hospital visiting hours can change, so an older time you remember may no longer be correct. See the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and Addington Hospital pages for facility detail.

Ward & Unit Visiting Hours

Ward exceptions are common in public hospitals. Port Shepstone Hospital’s KZN Health page lists separate labour and maternity ward times. The Gauteng Department of Health noted that special arrangements continue at Chris Hani Baragwanath for paediatric patients, critical care and end-of-life situations, managed by clinical teams. If your family member is in intensive care, a maternity or neonatal unit, ask the ward directly and read our guides:

Weekend & Public Holiday Guidance

Looking for public hospital visiting hours on Sunday? Several official KZN and Gauteng sources list visiting every day. Addington Hospital’s times are listed Monday to Sunday, Osindisweni Hospital’s apply “inclusive of weekends and public holidays”, and Chris Hani Baragwanath’s new times include weekends. Not every hospital page mentions weekends or public holidays, so do not assume. Our weekend hospital visiting hours guide explains what to check.

Visitor Rules

Each public hospital sets its own rules. KZN Health’s Osindisweni Hospital in-patient information is a useful example of what to expect:

  • Only three people are allowed at the patient’s bedside at any time.
  • Visitors must tell the sister in charge whom they are visiting and declare items brought for the patient.
  • Children under 12 are not allowed in the wards without the sister in charge’s permission.
  • Food brought by relatives must be declared to the sister before the patient eats it.
  • Telephone enquiries are not taken between 08:00 and 12:00 unless urgent, and confidential information is not given over the phone.

Other hospitals may differ. Read our hospital visitor rules guide for a general checklist. If you need correctional centre times instead, see prison visiting hours.

How to Verify Current Hours

  • Use the provincial health department website. KZN Health publishes visiting hours on many hospital pages. Gauteng Health publishes changes as media statements.
  • Do not read “24h” as visiting hours. The Western Cape Government facility listing shows Groote Schuur, Tygerberg and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital as open 24 hours. That describes operations, not visiting times.
  • Watch for temporary notices. Port Shepstone Hospital’s times are labelled “current / temporary”.
  • Phone the hospital or ward on the day of your visit, especially for ICU, maternity, paediatric or isolation wards. Gauteng residents can also use the Gauteng Department of Health 24-hour customer line, 0800 203 886, listed in its media statement.

Before you travel: choose a hospital or guide to get the most specific visiting information, and phone the ward if the page does not mention your day or unit.

Related Visiting Hours Guides

Sources & Last Verified

Last verified: 13 September 2026.