Health committee presses department over 10 years of unchanged audit results
The department achieved 33 of its 47 targets, a rate of 70.2%, yet spent almost its entire budget.
Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Health has pressed the National Department of Health for urgent governance and financial management improvements, following a decade of unchanged audit results. Committee chairperson Faith Muthambi directly confronted the minister about the stale audit outcome, criticizing the lack of consequence management that the Auditor-General has repeatedly highlighted.
The committee raised concerns over 32 material irregularities identified across the health sector. The department remains R187 million in unresolved irregular expenditure, with R179 million pending investigation. A R106 million connectivity contract has been referred to the National Treasury and the Hawks.
While the department reached 33 of its 47 targets, representing a 70.2% success rate, it still spent nearly its entire budget. Committee members highlighted issues such as medicine stock-outs, long waiting times for specialist care, and poorly maintained hospitals. The department attributed these problems to manufacturing disruptions, regulatory compliance actions, and congestion at the Port of Durban.
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi acknowledged the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) was facing significant governance issues. He stated that the department would call provinces flagged by the Auditor-General to account, aiming to move from an unqualified audit opinion to a clean audit. Muthambi emphasized that Parliament would continue monitoring the implementation of interventions to improve health outcomes and service quality.
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