The DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, Jack Bloom, recently revealed how two of the top hospitals in Johannesburg have been plagued by generator failures.
Bloom explained that Gauteng MEC for Health, Qedani Mahlangu, recently revealed that nine generator failures have taken place at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in the past four years.
Bloom elaborated that six of the failures had taken place at Chris Hani, while three had taken place at Charlotte Maxeke.
“The three failures at Charlotte Maxeke were [due to] aged batteries which could no longer supply the correct voltage levels in 2013; cut-offs due to an over-supply of voltage in 2014; and being started for a short period but failing on high temperatures due to lack of cooling in 2016,” Bloom said.
Meanwhile, the six generator failures at Chris Hani ranged from faulty issues to being undersized and, therefore, unable to maintain the required voltage.
Bloom questioned why the company contracted to service and maintain the generators at Charlotte Maxeke, Cassidy Solutions cc, was not held responsible for the ongoing failures, despite being paid an alleged sum of about R1 million.
He concluded by urging Mahlangu to get it right this time as patients need ‘guaranteed high-quality maintenance on all generators so that they always kick in when needed’.
Details: www.da.org.za
