Health minister 'Must account or bite the dust'

The answer to problems at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, according to the DA Gauteng's spokesman, Jack Bloom, is threefold: pay suppliers, buy equipment and fill vacancies.

He says the hospital is run by a "superb world-class" staff, but it lacks medicines, functional equipment and staff.

"The remedy is in our hands," said Bloom.

"We have very competent staff that have identified what vacancies need to be filled and what equipment is needed."

"The Gauteng moratorium on staff was not supposed to affect doctors and nurses. It was aimed at administrative staff and allied staff.

"The Gauteng department of health has reneged on promises not to freeze critical skilled posts."

The DA's national spokesman on health, Patricia Kopane, blames Health Minster Aaron Motsoaledi.

"He needs to appear before the portfolio committee on health in parliament to account for all these issues, Kopane said.

"It is time for the minister to punish people . because of their poor performance."

She said problems at public health facilities are not restricted to Gauteng, but extended to Limpopo and the Eastern Cape.

"The minister must come up with action and a time frame to explain what he is going to do.

"If he is failing and if push comes to shove, he must resign," said Kopane.