Auditor General slams Gauteng Health Department

4 September 2023

The Auditor General has again given a damning report on the Gauteng Health Department, which had R2.26 billion irregular expenditure in the 2022/2023 financial year, R15 million fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and failed to spend R2.7 billion of its budget.

This is revealed in the Gauteng Health Department’s Annual Report for 2022/2023 which was tabled in the Gauteng Legislature last week. This covers the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March this year.

According to the AG, R3.1 billion of patients’ debt was written off, and there were 26 293 invoices for R2.5 billion that were undisputed but still not paid after 30 days or the agreed period. Only 53 850 invoices (35%) out of 154 076 were paid within the legally required 30 days.

The Department says these non-payments are “due to cash shortages because of medico-legal payments and settlement of old accruals, over-commitment on goods and services procured as well as delays in clearing of web-cycle transactions.”

The AG says effective and appropriate steps were not taken to prevent irregular expenditure, most of which was due to failure to invite competitive bids. Disciplinary steps were also not taken again the officials responsible.

One of the reasons for fruitless and wasteful expenditure is the failure to pay court orders within 30 days, so interest has to be paid on the outstanding amount.

Another concern is that the Department has unreliable information about meeting targets, in some cases claiming falsely to have achieved them. The AG notes that 75% of the budget for Health Facilities Management was spent, but 0% of targets were achieved!

The AG’s report shows little progress has been made in fixing the appalling financial mismanagement which allows criminal syndicates to flourish. This includes the R1 billion irregular expenditure the SIU has identified at the Tembisa Hospital alone following the murder of whistleblower Babita Deokaran.

How can it be that officials are still not disciplined for financial misconduct and competitive bids are not always done?

Last week Premier Panyaza Lesufi claimed departments were getting better audit reports, but failed to acknowledge the glaring deficiencies in the Gauteng Health Department.

He should strive for real achievement instead of claiming false victories.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 4 September 2023