Gauteng Health vows to restore financial discipline amid mismanagement claims

The Gauteng Health Department said that it is committed to restoring financial discipline and strengthening accountability amid claims of mismanagement.

The department’s reassurance comes after the Democratic Alliance (DA) accused health officials of underspending on its allocated budget, compromising patient care.

This includes concerns that the department has failed to spend its allocated budget to deliver the much-needed healthcare services to patients.

But the department said that he last time it underspent on its allocated budget was in the previous financial year.

Acting Chief Financial Officer at Gauteng Health, Willie Sambo, said that the department is currently projecting an overspend of R1.2 billion on the adjusted budget for 2025/26.

 “The department further wishes to emphasise that significant corrective measures have been implemented to stabilise financial management and improve compliance. These include strengthened expenditure controls and intensified oversight of payment processes.

Sambo adds that "it is also important to indicate that the department has achieved 79% and 80%, respectively, in both quarters 2 and 3 on payments of service providers within 30 days. The department remains committed to restoring financial discipline, strengthening accountability, and ensuring that available resources are directed toward patient care, infrastructure improvement, and the support of healthcare workers.”