Gauteng Health Department awash with 136 acting positions, including 12 hospital CEOs 

27 August 2019

Twelve out of 32 Gauteng hospitals have acting CEOs, and four out of five districts have acting Chief Directors as well.

This is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

The following hospitals do not have permanent CEOs:

Sebokeng

Mamelodi

Weskoppies

Pholosong

Far East Rand

Tambo Memorial

Jubilee

Edenvale

Heidelburg

Bronkhorspruit

Cullinan Care and Rehabilition Centre

Bertha Gxowa

There are 34 senior management posts which are vacant, and 136 vacant positions in total in the entire administration, including head office, all hospitals and clinics. These cost the Department R6 281 871.52 between April and July 2019.

I am appalled that more than a third of Gauteng state hospitals do not have a permanent CEO, some for as long as two years.

I saw this problem for myself yesterday when I visited the troubled Mamelodi hospital, which has not had a permanent CEO since May last year.

The huge number of acting personnel in key positions is a major reason for poor performance.

High calibre people need to be recruited as soon as possible to fill these positions.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 27 August 2019