The Gauteng Health Department has come under fire for paying R3.9 million to seven Cuban doctors who had already left the country, continuing to receive salaries for an entire year due to a glaring administrative blunder.
Despite efforts to recover the funds, with R2.7 million still outstanding, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has slammed the department for its gross mismanagement and lack of accountability.
According to DA’s Jack Bloom, this expensive bungle happened as 28 Cuban doctors were hired on a one-year contract to assist with the Covid-19 pandemic, but the contracts for seven of them were irregularly extended for another year.
“Instead of their contracts terminating on 14 May 2021, they continued to receive salaries without working until May 2022.”
He said the MEC responded the following in a written reply to his questions in the Gauteng Legislature:
“The officials who extended the contracts allege that they were not aware that the Cuban Healthcare Workers were no longer in the country.”
Bloom said the Auditor General had flagged this oversight as a “Material Irregularity.”
“An investigation has led to the recovery of R1.2 million, and disciplinary charges have been laid against the responsible officials.
“The Cuban government has also been contacted to recover the outstanding money.”
Bloom said it boggles the mind that seven foreign doctors were paid for an entire year when they were not even in the country.
“It is also outrageous that R2.7 million is still not recovered more than two years after this wasteful expenditure, and the officials concerned have not yet been disciplined.
“It’s yet another example of deep incompetence and possible corruption in this department.”
This comes days after it was revealed that the Gauteng Health Department has wasted over R13 million on nine suspended staff members, with some cases stretching back several years due to prolonged investigations and hearing delays.
Also read: Revealed: Millions squandered on suspended health officials amid ongoing disciplinary delays
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