BLOEMFONTEIN – The Auditor-General reported a staggering R5,7 billion in outstanding medical claims against the Free State Department of Health.
David Masoeu, DA spokesperson for health in the Free State Legislator, says these outstanding claims for the 2024-’25 financial year are linked to medical negligence and malpractice in Free State hospitals and clinics.
“We have submitted questions to the MEC for Health, Monyatso Mahlatsi, seeking clarity and accountability on the medical-legal claims against the department.”
His statement follows an oversight visit by a committee of parliament on social services that visited clinics and hospital in the Mangaung-area last week.
Masoeu says the amount of outstanding claims places significant pressure on an already strained fiscus and has devastating consequences for the delivery of healthcare services across the province. “Funds that should be directed towards critical service delivery, addressing the shortage of ambulances, filling vacant medical posts, and improving patient care, are instead being diverted to settle claims that could have been avoided.
“The increase in outstanding claims between the 2023-’24 and 2024-’25 period is indicative of the department’s failure to meaningfully address issues within the department. The AG flagged severe leadership challenges as well as financial and performance challenges. These failures are a direct result of the ANC’s poor leadership style and another example of their inability to bring cadres to order “
Masoeu said the only sustainable way to address these challenges, especially in specialised sectors such as healthcare, is to ensure that appointments are merit-based, with the most qualified and capable individuals entrusted with positions of authority.
“The DA remains concerned about the department’s transparency and its willingness to confront issues. We will continue to pressure the department to ensure that a tangible plan is put in place to address outstanding medical claims, reduce future frivolous healthcare costs, and prioritise and improve service delivery.”
