House Chairperson,
South Africa’s public health system continues to face systemic inefficiencies; Parliament must demand ethical stewardship, measurable outcomes, and urgent reform in provincial health governance.
Chairperson, the Portfolio Committee’s Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report on the performance of the National Department of Health and its entities for 2024/25 reveals troubling patterns.
Despite a budget allocation of R64.5 billion, the Department underspent by R3.2 billion, while irregular expenditure rose to R1.1 billion, a regression from the previous year’s audit outcomes. The Auditor-General attributes this to poor contract management, persistent vacancies in key posts, and excessive reliance on consultants.
The ACDP has consistently called for ethical governance, performance-linked funding, and transparent oversight. Yet, Parliament has failed to enforce accountability mechanisms under Section 195 of the Constitution, which requires public administration to be accountable, development-oriented, and governed by high standards of professional ethics.
The Committee’s report also notes that the Office of Health Standards Compliance remains under-resourced, compromising its mandate to enforce quality norms across facilities.
Meanwhile, the National Health Laboratory Service facing huge backlogs in TB and cervical cancer diagnostics which forces them to delay treatment and jeopardise patients’ health, has turned to the private sector to help clear the backlog.
Social media commentary has criticised Parliament’s silence on whistle-blower protections and its failure to act on corruption allegations in provincial health tenders. These failures erode public trust and violate Parliament’s constitutional duty to ensure oversight and representation.
I thank you.
