Twelve out of 32 Gauteng hospitals still have acting CEOs
The DA has called out the stat as one reason why health performance rates have been poor.
Image: iStock
In a statement on Tuesday, the DA revealed that more than a third of the 32 public hospitals in Gauteng didn’t have permanent CEOs.
Twelve out of 32 Gauteng hospitals had acting CEOs, and four out of five districts had acting chief directors.
The party’s Jack Bloom said Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku had admitted this in a written reply to questions in the Gauteng Legislature.
The following facilities were revealed not to 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 health 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,” said Bloom.
“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.”
He posited that the huge number of acting personnel in key positions was a major reason for the poor performance of Gauteng health and he called for “high-calibre people” to be recruited as soon as possible to fill the positions.
(Edited by Charles Cilliers)
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
