Minister Motsoaledi must explain massive 38 000 vacancies in public health system

31 October 2017

The DA will write to the Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi to demand an explanation as to why he has failed to ensure a massive 38 000 vacancies in the public healthcare system are filled, which has been exposed in a reply to a DA Parliamentary question.

These vacancies directly impact the delivery of proper healthcare to South Africans and cannot be allowed to continue.

It is a clear indictment on Minister Motsoaledi and the ANC-government for their ineffectiveness at putting the needs of the people first and above their own internal party politics.

What is more alarming is that these vacancies place extra burden on the existing medical personnel, who are under-staffed and already work long hours.

It is, therefore, possible that there is a connection between these vacancies and the fact that billions have been paid out in medical malpractice cases.  Another Parliamentary reply revealed that a staggering R2.6 billion has been paid out for claims for wrong diagnosis, botched operations, botched amputations, anaesthetic deaths, uninformed consent and large amounts of obstetrics, gynaecology and maternity claims.

This points to a chronic failure by Minister Mostoaledi to carry out his mandate to ensure South Africans get the healthcare that they deserve.

The shortage of specialists and nurses is one of the root causes of the crisis that is causing public healthcare facilities to collapse.

Minister Motsoaledi must prioritise the filling of these 38 000 vacancies if he is at all serious about improving the public health system.

Issued by Patricia Kopane, DA Shadow Minister of Health, 31 October 2017