By Palesa Matlala
- The Public Protector found that only half of the R666-million meant for urgent hospital repairs after the 2021 fire was spent.
- Charlotte Maxeke Hospital still faces a R1.7-billion funding gap as corruption claims and project delays continue to cripple services.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will on Tuesday visit Charlotte Maxeke Hospital as pressure mounts over delays, corruption claims and a massive funding crisis.
The visit follows a damning Public Protector report into the 2021 fire that destroyed parts of the Johannesburg hospital.
The report exposed serious failures in the repair project, including underspending, weak financial controls and poor project management.
The Public Protector found that only half of the R666-million allocated for initial repairs was actually used.
The findings have now been escalated to the Auditor General for further investigation.
Charlotte Maxeke Hospital still needs another R1.7-billion over the next five years to complete repairs and restore damaged sections.
The two ministers are expected to meet Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and provincial health and infrastructure officials to discuss how to rescue the struggling hospital.
Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said the meeting aims to find solutions and stop further delays.
“The two ministers will meet numerous stakeholders,” said Mohale.
The crisis has sparked anger from doctors and staff who say the hospital is collapsing under years of dysfunction.
Head of internal medicine Adam Mohamed said corruption and poor leadership continue to destroy the facility.
Mohamed became a whistleblower in 2022 after the fire badly damaged the hospital’s storeroom and several blocks.
He said many senior posts remain vacant, making it difficult for departments to function properly.
Large sections of the hospital are still not working years after the fire.
Patients and staff also continue to battle a shortage of infrastructure and services.
Mohamed said he plans to leave public healthcare because of the growing dysfunction inside the system.
The Public Protector’s report found that delays in repairs continue more than three years after the fire gutted parts of one of Gauteng’s biggest public hospitals.
Pictured above: Ministers are visiting Charlotte Maxeke Hospital after a damning report exposed delays and financial failures.
Image source: Charlotte Maxeke Hospital/Facebook
