Nearly R50m spent on a "Presidential Medical Unit" between 2009 and 2014
06 April 2014
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has revealed that nearly R50 million was spent on a "Presidential Medical Unit", operated by the South African Military Health Service, between 2009 and 2014.
The Presidential Medical Unit is responsible for the health and wellness of the President, Deputy President, former Presidents and Deputy Presidents, and Heads of State visiting South Africa.
The Presidential Medical Unit is most probably responsible for operating the "military clinic", built at the cost of R11 million, at Nkandla.
Replying to a parliamentary question, the Minister revealed that the Presidential Medical Unit consumed a total of R48.5 million between 2009 and 2014.
The Presidential Medical Unit seems to have become an "empire" within the South African Military Health Service.
The Presidential Medical Unit appears to have almost limitless resources: it is staffed by an average of 56 medical personnel; has the use of an average of 67 vehicles; and an average annual budget of R9.7 million.
Yet the South African Military Health Service is falling apart with critical shortages of medical personnel compromising the healthcare received by ordinary serving members of the Defence Force.
The South African Military Health Service's primary facility - 1 Military Hospital in Thaba Tshwane - is plagued by critical staff shortages, especially of doctors and nurses.
There were 473 vacant posts at 1 Military Hospital in a total staff establishment of 1 327 in mid-2013.
The critical shortages at 1 Military Hospital were in the clinical departments where there were 172 vacant posts including:
|
Post Designation |
No. of Vacancies |
Period Vacant/Years |
|
Medical Specialist |
7 |
3+ |
|
Session Doctors |
26 |
1 |
|
General Medical Practitioners |
55 |
3+ |
|
Registrars |
10 |
1 |
|
Pharmacists |
1 |
2 |
|
Nurses |
51 |
1 |
|
Social Workers |
3 |
1 |
|
Psychologist |
3 |
1 |
|
Biokinetics |
1 |
1 |
|
Physiotherapist |
2 |
1 |
|
Clinical Technologist |
2 |
3+ |
|
Radiographers |
3 |
1 |
|
Occupational Therapists |
4 |
1 |
|
Biomedical Technicians |
4 |
1 |
So, while President Jacob Zuma receives world-class healthcare from the Presidential Medical Unit, including healthcare services at a R11 million military clinic at Nkandla, ordinary soldiers receive relatively poor healthcare at military healthcare facilities operated by the South African Military Health Service.
This is simply wrong.
I will, therefore, be writing to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, requesting her to conduct a full review of the resources available to the Presidential Medical Unit, with a view to streamline the number of staff and identify savings given the poor state of the South African Military Health Service.
Statement issued by David Maynier MP, DA Shadow Minister of Defence & Military Veterans, April 6 2014
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