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------Original message------ From: VC <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 11:28:38 AM GMT+0200 Subject: [YCLSA Discussion] Gauteng Health MEC Hope Papo talking to Business Day Business Day *Gauteng health MEC praises his staff* *Setumo Stone, Business Day, Johannesburg, 14 August 2012* NEWLY appointed Gauteng health MEC Hope Papo said yesterday the health department was full of "talented professionals". This was to be expected from a new political head, who will be seeking to boost staff morale after the Gauteng health department came under the spotlight for bad service and maladministration. Just last week it emerged that machines to treat cancer patients at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital had not been working, resulting in treatment for a number of patients being rescheduled. The health department was among the worst performers in the province, after years of nonpayment of service providers threatened to erode the delivery of health services, as contractors declined to deliver further goods or services. Hope Papo Mr Papo has been brought in to fix the problems, and he has the remaining two years of the current political term to do so. He is expected to implement a two-year plan --- launched a few weeks before his appointment --- to avoid the recurrence of cash-flow problems. Gauteng was once the leading province in providing health services. But because of nonpayment for service, hospitals almost came to a standstill and some small and medium-sized enterprises collapsed. And with some of the best health professionals based in Gauteng, a collapse in the province's health services could spell a disaster for SA and neighbouring states. Thousands of patients from outside Gauteng are referred to the province's hospitals daily. Mr Papo said yesterday that fixing the department was not a one-man job. "You do not come into the situation and behave like you are the cleverest person." Mr Papo is a veteran in the Gauteng legislature, where he served for 14 years before he was appointed MEC last month. "You have to earn your leadership through working in whatever duty the organisation gives you," he said. Mr Papo's colleagues in the African National Congress (ANC) said he was disciplined. "We expect him to instill the same level of discipline in the running of department," Gauteng ANC spokesman Dumisa Ntuli said after his appointment. Gauteng has 32 hospitals and more than 300 clinics. Health has the second-biggest budget in the province (R24bn) after education (R27bn), and employs more than 64,000 officials. Mr Papo said he has appointed two new directors since taking office. This was meant to stabilise the department at the top, he said. The new chief financial officer, who was appointed by Mr Papo's predecessor, Ntombi Mekgwe, will start work next month. The appointments of a head of legal services as well as an emergency services chief were pending, said Mr Papo. "My attitude is that I should not get too much involved in the operational matters of the department," he said. Ms Mekgwe was shifted to the local government and housing portfolio last month when Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane reshuffled her provincial cabinet. Last week, an entrepreneur whose company provided transport to the Gauteng health department came forward to complain about its failure to pay. Vorster Rasodi said his company, Dikolobedi Transport, endured payment delays for 12 years and was forced to close down. Mr Papo said small businesses were given priority when payments are made "because they need every cent to operate". He said that from April until the present the amount of outstanding invoices was R196m. "We need to check whether (small businesses) were still bearing the brunt of nonpayment," said Mr Papo. ** *From: http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/health/2012/08/14/gauteng-health-mec-praises-his-staff* ** ** ** -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
