The Gauteng Department of Health has failed to pay 19 212 invoices within 30 days. This amounts to a staggering R1 billion owed to suppliers of goods and services for the department. This is worrying, as suppliers of goods and services depend on this money to pay for their overhead costs and salaries.
During a recent Health Portfolio Committee meeting, the Public Service Commissioner, Vusumuzi Mavuso, indicated that only 29%, or 16 248 invoices received by the department, were paid within 30 days for the first quarter of 2024/2025. This is on top of the 71% of invoices received by the Gauteng Department of Finance that were not paid by the end of the fourth quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year.
This is indicative of the systemic failure and unwillingness of the health department to deal with late payments and the devastating effect this has on service delivery throughout the healthcare system. Countless SMMEs had to shut their doors, adding to the burgeoning unemployment figures in this province, purely because of the SMME’s inability to continue to pay their workforce.
We welcome the fact that the committee has resolved to summon the department to a meeting to explain the consequences of the management measures that will be put in place.
It is believed that the Public Service Commission has had to intervene to assist some service providers who have lodged complaints against the department for non-payment. These service providers were eventually paid, but not before they were on the verge of bankruptcy.
A DA government will put monthly reporting and monitoring measures in place to ensure that the Gauteng Health Department is brought into line and that the non-payment of suppliers becomes a thing of the past.