MEC for health Dr Magome Masike said his department cleared R751m accruals which were reported in the last financial year. He said accruals have been crippling his department’s budget over the years.

“We have overcome this after we introduced transaction accuracy system and the provincial treasury intervention played integral role. We have also implemented enhanced financial accounting procedures. These procedures were introduced to avoid the re-occurrences of accruals in future.

“We believe that the success is due to the fact that we implemented a turnaround strategy. The cost-cautious programme was also imperative. The department has substantially reduced the high rental costs by sharing office space. We are now sharing the space with Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality at the new Office Park.

“We have approached the similar method in our district offices. The Tirelo Building Office lease is now officially behind us. We have plans to accommodate Mahikeng Sub-district in the offices currently occupied by Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital once we move to the new hospital. We will continue to look at opportunities of creating more office space within our facilities and safe as much as we could,” Masike said.

The health department said they will continue to implement measures to prevent unauthorised expenditure. Masike further added that they will continue to pay service providers within 30 days except for those projects or services were queries of service provisions.

North West provincial legislature approved health department’s R9 460 530 budget for 2016-17 financial year.

Masike said the department was now in a position to do better with the allocated budget. He said the accruals hindered his department’ service delivery.

Provincial chairperson for the portfolio committee on health and social development, Nono Maloyi said: “The portfolio committee is pleased that the department has cleared the accruals. This means there will be enough budgets to address health service delivery issues. Maintenance of health facilities was identified as challenges by the portfolio committee recently during the visits.”

-TDN

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