The Democratic Alliance (DA) has accused the Eastern Cape Department of Health of fraud and corruption after almost R67 million in salaries was paid to employees of Orsmond Tuberculosis Hospital in Kariega, which has been closed for nearly two years.
DA’s Member of Parliament, Jane Cowley, said this was revealed during a response to a parliamentary question from the DA, where the department acknowledged that while the hospital has had no patients for almost two years, 45 health workers refused to be allocated to other medical facilities in the district.
Cowley said that the situation raised concerns about the allocation of resources within the healthcare system.
“Many hospitals and clinics in the province already face challenges due to staff shortages, resulting in difficulties in providing essential medical services to those in need. Instead of filling vacant positions and addressing this issue, the department has been utilising millions of taxpayers’ money to pay salaries to employees who are not currently working,” she said.
Cowley added that she wrote the to Health MEC, Nomakosazana Meth, to demand that this matter be addressed immediately.
“To date, no steps have been taken to discipline these employees, and it is unlikely that any action will be taken against them.
“We are all painfully aware of the government’s distaste for disciplining cadres. They would rather watch the system crumble around them, which is exactly what we are witnessing now,” Cowley said.
In response, the department acknowledged that 45 health workers refused to be reassigned to other medical facilities.
“A process of managing the labour dispute is underway. Agreement has been reached with labour that in the interim, whilst the bigger organisation-wide service delivery optimisation and organogram is under review, the remaining staff will be gainfully employed,”said the department.
IOL