The health department said it wanted to be seen as a fair employer.
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Diagnostic radiographers at Gauteng health facilities were not paid on time after taking up their posts earlier this year, the provincial health department confirmed on Wednesday.
The department said 13 radiographers were affected.
Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson, Steve Mabona, said the radiographers signed formal contracts and written offers of employment on 18 May 2026, before they reported for duty.
According to Mabona, the delay happened during the provincial approval process.
“The appointments were made through the department’s normal recruitment processes,” he said.
Mabona explained that officials first had to review the Compensation of Employees budget for all advertised, filled, and vacant posts in the 2026/27 financial year.
“The assessment was necessary to ensure that sufficient funding was available to sustain salary commitments for the remainder of the financial year and prevent unauthorised expenditure,” Mabona stated.
He said the department matter was only finalised in late October.
“The appointment of the radiographers was captured and approved in the Salary payment system on 28 October 2026,” Mabona added.
Staff told to stay home until payment was approved
The department said employees who could not report for duty because they had not been paid were advised to stay away from work until the matter was resolved.
It also acknowledged the impact on staff.
“Furthermore, the department regrets the delay, which might have led to inconvenience for the affected employees,” Mabona noted.
Claims radiographers worked without contracts
The DA gave a harsher account on Tuesday, with its Gauteng spokesperson for health, Madeleine Hicklin, saying that radiographers started work in May and June without contracts.
She said they were only paid on 6 November, after the party raised the issue.
“The DA has been reliably informed that two out of the 11 individuals resigned after three months because the department failed to pay them,” Hicklin claimed.
She said one radiographer had reportedly lost her home after falling behind on her bond repayments.
The woman was now trying to negotiate with her bank.
“The human cost of this administrative failure has been devastating,” Hicklin said.
Calls for investigation and patient safety
Hicklin urged Health MEC Faith Mazibuko to investigate how the staff were allowed to start work without contracts.
“The MEC’s failure to address this unfortunate administrative error until the DA stepped in is unacceptable,” she stated.
She said the DA would submit questions to the department on whether patients suffered because of the resignations or disruptions to diagnostic services.
The party also wanted to know how a repeat would be prevented.
“Workers should not endure months without pay due to administrative lapses,” Hicklin added.
The department, for its part, said it wanted to be seen as a fair employer.
“The department remains committed to fostering a conducive working environment where employees are treated fairly, and workplace disputes and employment-related matters are attended to timeously,” Mabona said.
