Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Eastern Cape Department of Health has been accused of paying R67 million in salaries to staff at a hospital which has been effectively closed for two years.
According to Eastern Cape MPL Jane Cowley, the Orsmond Tuberculosis Hospital in Kariega has been closed to patients for almost two years.
Despite this, dozens of employees are still being paid their salaries.
“This shocking revelation was made in response to a parliamentary question from the DA, where the department acknowledged the hospital has had no patients for almost two years,” Cowley said.
“Forty-five medical employees refused to be allocated to other medical facilities in the district, despite this being agreed to by their unions.”
Further answers to Cowley’s questions revealed the labour dispute was being managed and an agreement had already been reached “with labour in the interim and while the bigger organisation-wide service delivery optimisation and organogram is under review, the remaining staff will be gainfully employed”.
She was also told the redeployment would be finalised in June.
“Hospitals and clinics across the province are dealing with dire staff shortages, which has crippled service delivery to patients in critical need of healthcare.
“Instead of filling these vacant posts, the department pays staff at a defunct institution millions for absolutely no work,” Cowley said.
She added she had written to Eastern Cape Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth demanding the matter be attended to immediately.
“The department’s continued financial mismanagement, mismanagement of resources and failure to discipline non-compliant employees does not augur well for the future. Our citizens deserve better.”
News24 reached out to the department and Meth’s spokesperson for comment.
Their responses will be added once received.
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