The women had to be evacuated from Nelson Mandela Bay's specialist maternity unit at Dora Nginza Hospital as medical teams battled severe overcrowding and rolling blackouts.

Twenty-nine pregnant women who were sleeping on the floor at Dora Nginza Hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay and were not given any food had to be evacuated to other hospitals on Friday after the maternity unit became overwhelmed with the number of patients seeking medical assistance.

The unit, which delivers more than 8,000 babies a year, has only 75 beds. There have been desperate pleas from medical teams for more beds and more staff.

The Eastern Cape Department of Health spokesperson, Yonela Dekeda, said the 29 patients were transferred to Uitenhage Provincial Hospital and Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital. She said clinical teams at the two hospitals would be supported by specialists from Dora Nginza Hospital.

"Following a similar situation late last year, the department identified and allocated budgets for staffing and equipment to activate an additional 30-bedded maternity ward and theatre to ease the pressure in a sustainable way. Despite all those efforts, demand for maternity services in the Bay continues to increase.

"The department is continuing with our efforts to create additional trauma and maternity services at sites like Empilweni Hospital and PE Provincial Hospital," she said.

She did not respond to information from clinicians that the absence of...