Amid an outcry from disgruntled unemployed doctors, the Eastern Cape health department will prioritise hiring non-clinical staff, including cleaners and porters, says MEC Ntandokazi Capa.
Capa’s remarks come after a group of doctors demanding jobs protested outside the provincial legislature in Bhisho on Thursday ahead of premier Oscar Mabuyane’s state of the province address on Thursday.
There had been several similar protests in Bhisho previously.
In the next financial year, we are prioritising porters and cleaners.
— Ntandokazi Capa, Eastern Cape health MEC
Capa said the department needs to strike a balance between clinical and non-clinical staff.
“I engaged them and told them that we’re still going to look at our budget. But as I said to them, for the past three years we have not employed any cleaners or porters,” she said.
“So there is no balance ... because for a doctor you need a cleaner, a physiotherapist, a nurse and all of those things. We must strike a balance.
“It should not be about doctors; but it should be about the department of health making sure that everyone in the department of health is catered for.”
Capa made it clear the department is determined to prioritise cleaners in the next financial year.
“I’m not apologetic about that. In the next financial year we are prioritising porters and cleaners.
“We are prioritising non-clinical [staff] because for the past three years we have been prioritising clinical. That is why we have employed more than 590 doctors in the past three years.”
Capa said the department can look at its budget and see if “10 or 20” doctors can be accommodated but won’t be pressured by a protest to employ the doctors.
“It doesn’t work like that. For you to be employed, there must be an advert, a post available and a budget available.
“You don’t toyi-toyi and think you will get a letter of employment; it does not work like that.
“For now we do have posts available — but we are looking for a budget.”
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