Payment has only now been promised to the company that refused to fix broken lifts at several public hospitals in Gauteng after months of non-payment.

Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, said this was revealed on February 22 at a joint meeting of the Health Committee and the Infrastructure Development Committee in the Gauteng Legislature.

The provincial health department has racked up a bill of millions that is owed to several service providers, putting local hospitals under pressure.

Bloom said according to the Gauteng Department of Health, there was a backlog of R143m owing to several service providers dating back to October last year. The department said the lift service company was insisting on proof of payment before doing lift repairs, and they would be paid by the end of this week.

“South Rand Hospital is worst affected, with all three of its lifts out of action since January 17. There is a terrible smell in the hospital because medical waste is left in wards and porters have to carry patients on the stairs for surgery.

“Dead bodies also have to be carried down to the basement mortuary of this seven-storey hospital.

“Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi has herself complained about the broken lifts at Thembisa Hospital, where patients also have to be carried on the stairs. Other hospitals with frequently broken lifts include the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg, Steve Biko and Edenvale hospitals.

“The DA has long proposed that hospitals should be allowed to do their own maintenance so they can make direct payments to reliable contractors that they choose, instead of the dysfunctional and corruption-riven infrastructure development department.

“It is ridiculous that hospital managers have no control over maintenance, including critical functions like lifts and air-conditioning. Maintenance should be given a high priority in our deteriorating public hospitals, including compliance with vital occupational safety legislation,” said Bloom.