The Portfolio Committee on Health and Social Development, chaired by Nono Maloyi, resolved that the MEC for the Department of Health, Dr Magome Masike, his Head of Department (HOD) and other senior managers must appear before the committee for failing to account to the health sector stakeholders on matters concerning them.

The department was requested to submit responses during the Health Practitioners’ Sectoral Parliament which was ultimately cancelled due to non- availability of the MEC, HOD and relevant senior managers from the department to give feedback to issues raised at the Health Sectoral Parliament held on 7 February 2014.

Sectoral Parliaments are an initiative of the Legislature to promote public participation by providing a platform for stakeholders from various sectors to interact with Members of the Legislature and the Executive.

The purpose of the meeting was to solicit responses on issues raised by Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA), Health & Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (HOSPERSA), South African Medical Doctors’ Association (SAMA) and Traditional Healers Association.

Amongst issues raised were the non-adherance to the Partnership Agreement, signed in 1996 with the Department of Health, outlining a partnership between the department and the traditional healers in working together to deliver health care services to citizens of the North West Province. Since 2011 the department failed to convene quarterly meetings as agreed.

Other matters raised were; shortage of nurses, unrealistic workloads, poorly equipped facilities ,unsafe working conditions and late payment of overtime to staff.

The Committee resolved that the department must come and account to the Legislature.

“We will ensure that the department is to account to the Legislature as to why they did not honour an invite to attend this meeting. This is not only a waste of our time and the people who are here but also a waste of taxpayer’s money. They will have to appear before committee at the Legislature, no later than the end of next week,” said Maloyi.

Thabiso Mokgosi from DENOSA Provincial office also added that this is not the first time this is happening.

“We have on several accounts expected the presence of the MEC in our meetings but he failed to attend, we therefore demand a proper response to his continuous non-availability,” said Mokgosi.
-TDN
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