GAUTENG HEALTH OWES JOBURG R17 MILLION

The Gauteng Health Department owes R17 million to the Johannesburg Metro Council, mostly for lights and water which is owed for more than 60 days.

This was revealed yesterday by Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu in reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

Mahlangu said that the non-payment was due to disputed accounts, and that her department was doing manual reconciliation in order to settle the bill.

It is very ironic that an ANC-run provincial department is facing the same billing problem that ordinary residents face from the ANC-run Johannesburg council.

President Jacob Zuma has even promised to intervene in this matter which causes so much distress to Johannesburg ratepayers.

The large amount outstanding from the Gauteng Health Department shows how city finances suffer because of the continuing billing chaos that includes non-payments from other government departments.

Statement by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, July 30 2014

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