Who should employ health inspectors?

South Africa has a shortage of public health inspectors, according to officials, but it is not clear who should employ them.

Public health inspectors’ roles are vital as their job includes the enforcement of health, safety and sanitation regulations to protect the public.

They play a vital role in protecting the public against foodborne diseases such as food poisoning incidents that engulfed the country last year and claimed the lives of 22 children, leaving hundreds hospitalised.

Recently, a group of unemployed health inspectors accused government of failing to fulfil its promise to employ more than 500 of them.

After the foodborne disease outbreak was declared a national disaster last year, government said Treasury would allocate more than R200 million for the employment of inspectors.

Who should hire inspectors?

Department of health spokesperson Foster Mohale admitted there was a shortage, but said it was the responsibility of municipalities to hire them.

“There is a shortage, the relevant institutions are being engaged to see how they can prioritise the appointment of inspectors. It must be noted that this may not address the staff shortage, but will make the situation better.

“The department has been conducting assessments and advising municipalities to plan, budget and appoint inspectors to address shortages.

“But this cannot be achieved overnight. It will require a focused plan and allocation of resources. Appointment of inspectors is not the only function municipalities are expected to do, as it is one of many services that municipalities should prioritise and balance with other services,” said Mohale.

Even though Mohale said it was not his department’s responsibility to employ the practitioners, he denied that government had promised to employ 520 health inspectors.

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He said Treasury had not allocated any funds to the department for the appointment of health inspectors.

“The national department has never contradicted any of its laws. Municipal health services is a function devolved to district and metropolitan municipalities in terms of the National Health Act. The department is the custodian of health in SA, which includes oversight of preventative health services such as environmental health,” said Mohale.

He added that according to the constitution, the responsibility for municipal health services, including environmental health services, as defined in the National Health Act, rested with local government.

“Metropolitan and district municipalities are therefore mandated to provide these services and are responsible for appointing the inspectors.”

Request to Treasury

Mohale said a request had been submitted to Treasury to explore funding for the temporary appointment of the inspectors, while legislative processes were considered to review the assignment of the food control function.

Discussions with Treasury were ongoing and the outcome pending, he said.

“A joint circular has been issued to all 52 district and metropolitan municipalities by the departments of health and cooperative governance and traditional affairs, urging the immediate prioritisation of the inspectors’ appointments.”

He agreed that the shortage of inspectors was one of the issues compounding the foodborne illness outbreak.

But cooperative governance and traditional affairs spokesperson Legadima Leso denied it was his department’s responsibility to employ the practitioners and referred questions back to the department of health.

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