ABYSMAL AUDITOR-GENERAL REPORT ON GAUTENG HEALTH DEPARTMENT

The Auditor-General's newly released 2008/9 report on the Gauteng Health Department is a damning indictment of top management in this department.

Recordkeeping for huge amounts of money was so bad that the report carries a disclaimer of opinion. This is very adverse, as it means that there was not enough evidence for an audit opinion.

The A-G reports that he was unable to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence for expenditure of R971 million.

Unauthorised expenditure was an astounding R1. 07 billion. This is mainly because of overspending in hospitals, but there was also underspending of R221 million on health facility management, R50 million on emergency services, and R69 million of the HIV/Aids conditional grant was not spent.

Thirteen contracts worth R39 million were awarded without following the competitive bidding process.

Controls were so slack in payment of employees that the A-G could not form an opinion on R7.2 billion spent in this area. It was ascertained, however, that R8 million was overpaid for the Occupation Specific Dispensation for nurses.

There was irregular expenditure of R2 million due to the procurement process not being followed, and fruitless and wasteful expenditure of R2.2 million for defective work on the construction of the Eesterus Clinic and the Sebokeng Folateng.

It's all a sorry mess that has badly affected health services in this province.

Head of Department Sybil Ngcobo should have been fired long ago, but only resigned last month for unexplained reasons, as did deputy director-general Obakeng Mookeletsi.

They should not be allowed to get off the hook so easily, as criminal charges can be laid under the Public Finance Management Act for financial misconduct that is wilful or grossly negligent.

I have long suspected that serious corruption has flourished in this department as a result of the abysmal lack of financial controls now confirmed by the Auditor-General.

Further investigations are needed to see what money can be recovered and who can be held accountable, including former Health MEC Brian Hlongwa who presided over this grossly mismanaged department.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, Democratic Alliance Gauteng health spokesman, October 5 2009

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