Note to editors: Please find the attached English soundbite by Jack Bloom MPL.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi today apologised to cancer patients for treatment delays, but this won’t bring back lives lost because of the Gauteng Health Department’s failure to spend available funds for radiation therapy.
Lesufi was responding to my questions at a sitting of the Gauteng Legislature concerning his inadequate response to the 27 March ruling of the Gauteng High Court which found that the department’s failure to provide urgent treatment for cancer patients is unlawful and unconstitutional.
He said it was unfortunate this matter was in court, but the department had been granted leave to appeal the judgement. There was also a detailed report about how the treatment backlog would be eliminated as soon as possible.
The Premier ducked my question as to why there was no action against those responsible for the return to Treasury of R250 million earmarked to treat cancer patients. He claimed the department was making progress in reducing underspending, even though R724.6 million was not spent in the 2024/25 financial year.
According to the DA’s Cancer Scandal Monitor, it is now 47 days since the court ruling, but Lesufi has not removed Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and Head of Department Lesiba Malotana for their negligence in this matter.
Lesufi is correct that this case should never have ended up in court, but this is because cancer NGOs have an understandable lack of trust in the department.
His apology to cancer patients comes far too late as radiation treatment should be done within 90 days of surgery or chemotherapy, otherwise it is ineffective in saving lives. There were more than 2000 patients on the original backlog list three years ago, many of whom could have been saved by speedy radiation treatment.
I estimate that more cancer patients have died because of avoidable treatment delays than the 144 Life Esidimeni mental patients who died after they were sent to illegal NGOs.
The DA will continue to fight for the urgent treatment of cancer patients, and for accountability for needless treatment delays as the available budget was not spent.