DA: R300 million Gauteng health budget cut the symptom of a badly managed dept

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Gauteng health spokesperson MEC Jack Bloom says cuts to the province’s health infrastructure budget will have dangerous consequences for public health services.

Gauteng Finance MEC Jacob Mamabolo tabled the provincial budget for the 2023/24 financial year on Thursday to the legislature.

The budget showed a R300 million rand cut to health infrastructure compared to last November’s adjusted budget.

Mamabolo said this is to make sure that no money was returned to Treasury, owed to some departments underspending their allocations.

Bloom said the cuts came at a time when the province’s health facilities were in dire need of infrastructure maintenance and upgrades.

“There is so much to be done in our Gauteng hospitals – buildings are falling apart – and yet it turns out more than R200 million was actually returned to Treasury last year because it could not be spent. It is appalling that it’s such a badly managed department; there is certainly a budget to be properly spent to fix up our health services.”

-EWN

In other news – Warrant of arrest issued for Andile Mpisane

A warrant of arrest has been issued for Royal AM FC chairman Andile Mpisane. This comes after he allegedly violated an interim protection order.

Andile allegedly followed and threatened his ex-girlfriend, DJ Sithelo Shozi. The warrant of arrest was issued on Friday, 3 March, and Sithelo went to Durban North police station to hand it over to the police to arrest her ex-boyfriend. Learn More