Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital reports that 217 children are currently on its paediatric surgery waiting list, with some cases extending for years. One example highlighted is a three-year-old who has waited about 30 months for a hernia operation. The situation points to ongoing challenges in accessing timely paediatric surgical care in Gauteng. The reported figures indicate a backlog that affects children needing urgent procedures, with the wait times growing in length. The hospital’s account underscores the pressure on paediatric surgical services and the need for measures to reduce the backlog and provide operations for children who are awaiting treatment. While the details provided focus on the waiting list and individual waiting periods, the overall message across the reporting is that delayed surgeries are leaving children in prolonged periods without the care they need. The information is presented as an indicator of a broader service delivery strain affecting paediatric surgery access rather than a single isolated case.