Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has disclosed in a written reply to my questions that R3.9 million was paid to 7 Cuban doctors who had left South Africa to go back to Cuba.
This expensive bungle happened as 28 Cuban doctors were hired on a one-year contract to assist with the Covid-19 pandemic, but the contracts for seven of them were irregularly extended for another year.
Instead of their contracts terminating on 14 May 2021, they continued to receive salaries without working until May 2022.
According to the MEC: “The officials who extended the contracts allege to have not been aware that the Cuban Healthcare Workers were no longer in the country.”
This oversight has been flagged by the Auditor General as a “Material Irregularity”.
An investigation has led to the recovery of R1.2 million, and disciplinary charges have been laid against the responsible officials.
The Cuban government has also been contacted to recover the outstanding money.
It boggles the mind that seven foreign doctors were paid for an entire year when they were not even in the country.
It is also outrageous that R2.7 million is still not recovered more than two years after this wasteful expenditure, and the officials concerned have not yet been disciplined.
It’s yet another example of deep incompetence and possible corruption in this department.
As in the DA-run Western Cape Health Department, the DA in Gauteng believes there is no reason to hire Cuban doctors when so many local doctors are unemployed.
The priority should always be the best use of the available budget to provide quality healthcare.