‘Safety’ upgrades adds bling to Health MEC’s wheels

LIMPOPO – At R1,2 million, the three litre Range Rover Sport with its extras equals the amount spent by the premier’s vehicle at R1,2 million and extras worth R78 000. Included in the Health MEC’s car extras are ‘alloy sparkle silver wheels, double locking, rearview camera, various’.
This was revealed after the DA made an official enquiry at Limpopo Legislature on the matter.
The Ministerial Handbook, a guideline in terms of office holders’ prerogatives, is unclear on the issue of extras on vehicles, only stating the amount spent on the vehicle should not exceed 70% of the office holder’s annual salary.
Office of the Premier Spokesperson, Kenny Mathivha, justified the purchase, saying according to the handbook, vehicles for ministers, deputy ministers, premiers and MECs can be replaced when reaching 120 000 km.
He confirmed that the new vehicles cost be no more than 70% of their salaries, “I can confirm that none of the MECs or the premier contravened the ministerial handbook clause”.
Asked why only certain MECs added extras on their vehicles, Mathivha said extras are usually fitted for safety reasons.
“Limpopo has lost two MECs on the road in the past seven years and the same DA complained they should have have had better vehicles.
“This is the first time in the past five years the MECs and premier have bought new cars because their previous vehicles reached the threshold of more than 120 000 km”.
Review has reported several times in the past about the dire state of medical facilities and healthcare services in the province, which leave the people waiting for hours in long queues, often times for days on end, because they cannot be helped.
Earlier this year Review reported about a woman who died in Mogalakwena from a fractured leg after she was hit by a taxi on 29 March.
She died from her injuries on 18 May, two days after finally being operated on at Mokopane Hospital.
Unfortunately, this is just one of several examples of gross medical negligence at state healthcare facilities.
Cancer patients in Limpopo are forced to travel to Gauteng for assistance as Limpopo does not have a radiation oncologist available at any of its medical facilities.
Doctors, nurses, pathologists and other medical staff have regularly striked due to a variety of qualms such as not being paid, the Department of Health not upholding its promises of appointing temporary staff, even after several years, and the horrid conditions medical personnel have to work in without the proper equipment or facilities.
One of the most prevalent reasons for strikes, however, is the fact that medical personnel are not being paid.
One of the medical facilities that has been in the news regularly over the years for various reasons is the Rethabile Clinic in the city.
Another concern is that expired food and medicine are being administered to patients as was found by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) during a surprise visit at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital, a facility regarded as the best in the province.
A poor filing system at the hospital also means patients are required to open a new file every time they visit the hospital.
This concern was discussed during a recent Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) hearing of the department to which the department answered that the filing system was outdated but there wasn’t money available to upgrade the poorly kept filing system.
During this year’s budget allocation for the province, the Health Department got the biggest chunk with R19,5 billion of the R65,3 billion budget for the 2018/19 financial year.