Although work at the hospital started in April last year, it was only completed last month, after the Gauteng Government spent R474 million to refurbish it.
During the past week, the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, Mr Jack Bloom, revealed that, despite these huge costs, there was currently no budget to fully staff its 175 beds for Covid-19 cases.
The Gauteng Health MEC, Nomathemba Mokgethi disclosed this information in an oral reply to Bloom’s questions at a sitting of the Gauteng Legislature on 8 June.
“Mokgethi said there was no approved organogram for the hospital, and the staffing depended on budget availability.
“AngloGold Ashanti donated the hospital building, but the provincial government has not yet taken ownership.
“The hospital has 175 beds but, according to Mokgethi, the staffing of only 40 ICU beds at the hospital is being prioritised,” says Bloom.
The Herald asked the Department of Health to comment on the issue on Tuesday.
“AngloGold Ashanti’s hospital will utilise staff allocated to the Merafong City Covid-19 response team when and where necessary. Their placement would depend on the dynamics of the pandemic response, which is largely unpredictable,” said Ms Nomagugu Hloma, the communication officer of the Department of Health in the West Rand.