195 GAUTENG HEALTH INTERNS NOT PAID

The Gauteng Health Department has not paid 195 interns their R1100 per month stipend.

This is revealed in a written reply by Gauteng Health MEC Ntombi Mekgwe to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

According to Mekgwe, 625 interns signed contracts in April last year when the HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign was launched at the Natalspruit Hospital. This was a high-profile event attended by President Jacob Zuma.

The interns were trained as Queue Marshalls and others as Data Capturers in hospitals across the province.

The payment problem arose because 448 interns were to be paid by the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) rather than the Gauteng Health and Social Development Department.

According to Mekgwe "the group of 448 scheduled to be paid by DID had challenges regarding their stipends from the beginning to the end of the campaign. As a consequence there was high drop-out in this group."

Furthermore "The Department has now set aside a budget to take over the payment of these learners for the stipends owed. However until they are terminated from the Department of Infrastructure Development, they cannot be paid by the Gauteng Department of Health & Social Development. The DID is still in the process of terminating the learners. As soon as this process is finalised, the learners will be paid by the Gauteng Department of Health & Social Development."

My assessment is that this whole project was abysmally handled, giving false hope to hundreds of young people who have worked for nothing.

Originally 963 young people were recruited, but only 625 one year contracts were signed. About 250 dropped out later because they were not paid.

Now 195 youngsters finished their contract period in April this year, but are owed substantial amounts of money for many months.

I know of one case where an intern worked for the entire year without receiving any money. Most are owed for about four to six months work, which amounts to between R4400 and R6600. They are understandably very bitter as all their efforts to get paid have been fruitless.

I am determined to push the department so that they pay up promptly. This is a real scandal. Unless they are paid what they are owed their experience amounts to exploitation and slavery.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesman, July 21 2011

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