Bloated staff at Gauteng Health head office needs to be cut

28 October 2020

Staff at the Gauteng Health Department’s head office has increased from 900 five years ago to 1080 - a 20% increase.

This is revealed by Acting Gauteng Health MEC Jacob Mamabolo in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

There is no justification for this sizable increase in a department that is already top heavy with administrators when the real need is to fill vacancies at hospitals and clinics.

According to Mamabolo, it costs approximately R475 million per year to pay the head office staff which amounts to an average salary of R440 000.

The head office has been a dumping ground for staff facing disciplinary action elsewhere who stay on and do not add any value despite their high salaries.

A proper job evaluation and skills audit needs to be done to ensure that all head office positions are justified.

This should be done by a new Health MEC who should give priority to service delivery rather than a bloated and inefficient head office filled with political appointments.

Issued byJack Bloom,DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 28 October 2020