Gauteng Health Department should pay its Joburg bills

16 February 2022

The Gauteng Health Department is notorious for late payments, but it is grossly unfair to the residents of Johannesburg that it continues to owe R200 million to the city.

Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse has correctly refrained from cutting off hospitals that owe money as this would hurt sick patients, and she has appealed to Gauteng Premier David Makhura to get the department to pay its bills.

According to the department’s 3rd Quarter Report, the department failed to pay 78% of suppliers within the required 30 days. This report covers the period from October to December last year.

Doctors working excess overtime have also suffered because they have not been paid for the extra hours they worked in January.

Makhura promised eight years ago that he would fix the Gauteng Health Department, but every year has seen a new scandal of poor decision-making, corruption and wasted money.

He has also promised that the provincial government would pay its bills within 30 days, and would settle its debts to all municipalities.

Mr Premier, you need to keep your promises and pay all outstanding bills!

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 16 February 2022