Ambulances, electronic records will be key focus for KZN health department
That came up on Tuesday when health MEC Nomagugu Simelane delivered the department's R56.2bn budget for the 2025/26 financial year at the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg.
Last month the premier said he would advertise 20 posts to address the growing unemployment crisis among healthcare professionals after unemployed doctors staged a sit-in outside the KZN premier's office for several days.
The protesters gathered to express frustrations over the delay in advertising doctors' posts in the province despite promises earlier this year by the national government to fill new positions.
The department had no cuts on its baseline allocation, which was instead increased by 2.5%, for the first time in 19 years after losing more than R8bn in its baseline budget in the past six years.
Simelane said this deficit had resulted in the department struggling to meet some healthcare demands, including filling critical posts in nursing, medicine, administrative, and allied health professions as well as hindering some of its infrastructure development including a backlog of 250 clinics and routine maintenance in other facilities.
With the increased allocation, Simelane said, the department's priority was the long-standing issue of ambulance shortages.
'KZN's vast and difficult terrain, coupled with budget limitations, has meant that we have only been able to replace ageing ambulances, not expand our fleet as much as we would have liked to. We have been transparent about this reality,' said Simelane.
She said that has put a strain on the Emergency Medical Services' (EMS) response times when evacuating the sick and injured, as well as transferring patients between facilities.
She said the department is establishing a panel of licensed private EMS providers to complement its existing fleet and reduce response times. The panel will consist of the more than 300 licensed private ambulances that are already operating in the province.
Simelane said they have allocated the R81m EMS budget to fund the procurement of 50 new ambulances and 10 35-seater planned patient transport buses and use part of it for outsourcing EMS services from the private sector
'This is a temporary measure for six months, while we fine-tune our procurement processes.'
The department is further planning to procure a total of 200 vehicles — made up of general fleet, mobile clinics, and EMS response vehicles — this financial year. It will also introduce a roadside assistance programme to reduce turnaround times for minor repairs and maintenance, which will see the appointment of 12 artisan mechanics and the procurement of 11 vehicles to support district-level maintenance.
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IOL News
12 hours ago
- IOL News
KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane hits back at corruption claims, calls allegations a 'smear campaign'
KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane says corruption and nepotism claims are part of a political smear campaign, and she remains focused on delivering quality healthcare to the people of KwaZulu-Natal. Image: Supplied KZN MEC of Health Nomagugu Simelane said she won't play politics with people's lives or allow personal attacks to derail the work of her department. 'I will not play politics with people's lives. I will not lower myself to the level of those who seek to destabilise, distract, and destroy,' she said in a statement addressing a series of allegations that have surfaced on social media, in the press, and on various platforms in recent weeks. Simelane described the claims as part of a 'targeted campaign of misinformation' aimed at damaging her reputation and that of her family. She said she had remained largely silent until now because she was focused on delivering the province's critical health budget, which she tabled on Tuesday. IOL previously reported that the MK Party had called for Simelane's resignation, accusing her of corruption and alleging that her family business, Kwazi-Gugu Investments CC, received duplicate payments worth R1.42 million from the provincial Agriculture Department. The MK Party further claimed that her family continued receiving state financial support while she served as Health MEC, and linked her to a 2008 farm loan granted by Ithala Bank, allegations Simelane has dismissed as 'false and malicious.' 'Now that the budget has been delivered, and with it, real plans to strengthen our healthcare system, I want to take a moment to set the record straight and address the stories that are currently circulating,' she said. Simelane defended her department's stance on hospital access following protests related to the treatment of undocumented foreign nationals. She said her duty is to uphold the Constitution, not to discriminate. 'Every person, regardless of their nationality, has the right to emergency medical care. Denying that would be illegal and inhumane,' she said. She condemned protesters who blocked hospitals, calling the act unacceptable and dangerous. 'Peaceful protest is allowed, but blocking access to hospitals is not,' she said. 'That's why we worked to keep our facilities open and safe for patients.' While she acknowledged that illegal immigration is a national issue, she insisted healthcare 'must never, ever be considered a privilege, but a fundamental right to be enjoyed equitably by all.' Responding to allegations that she interfered with Vuma FM, leading to the removal of former broadcaster Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, Simelane said: 'Let's be absolutely clear. I did not instruct or influence Vuma FM to fire Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma. ''The station itself has confirmed that her contract expired as part of its internal HR processes,'' she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ She also dismissed claims of a voice recording allegedly implicating her, calling them 'false.' 'There is no such thing. I respect media freedom, but this freedom comes with responsibility to report fairly and accurately.' Simelane said she had taken legal steps to stop the 'spread of lies' and to protect the integrity of her office. Furthermore, Simelane also addressed accusations around her family's farm, saying the loan it received from Ithala Bank was issued in 2008, years before she held any influential role in agriculture. 'In 2008, I was a junior official employed within a completely different department. I had resigned from the family company in 2004 – four years before that loan was issued,' she said. She emphasised that her family applied for agriculture support through legal departmental processes, with no influence from her.' She maintained that the support her family farm received through the Department of Agriculture followed 'open and regulated processes' and that she had no influence in those decisions. 'These applications were approved – without any input or involvement whatsoever from me,' Simelane said. 'All procurement was managed through the department's own supply chain processes and chosen service providers.' She said a full and detailed report has been submitted to the Premier. On nepotism allegations, Simelane defended her siblings' qualifications and appointments. 'My sister was appointed to her position through a transparent process. I was not involved in any way. She earned her place,' she said. She described claims of fake CVs as 'false and desperate,' adding that her family 'has taken advantage of one thing: education.' Regarding her brother, she added: 'He is a finance professional with 15 years of experience and verifiable formal qualifications.' 'I do not do nepotism. I do service,' Simelane insisted. 'These personal attacks won't divert me from working in accordance with my mandate: to improve healthcare delivery for every person in this province,' she said. 'While the noise gets louder, so will my commitment to doing the work. Because that's what real leadership looks like.' Simelane said she believes the flurry of allegations,surfacing around the same time, are politically motivated and part of a deliberate smear campaign. 'This past weekend saw an array of sensational rumours emerge online, blatantly designed to mislead the public and shake confidence in the work of my department,' she said. 'They are part of a calculated and mischievous smear campaign.' Despite this, Simelane said she remains focused on delivering health services to the province and serving the people of KwaZulu-Natal. 'Leadership should never be determined by threats or intimidation, but by truth, service, and due process,' she said. 'I will not bow to those tactics. ''I will continue to do what I have done since 2004: serve, lead, and strive for a stronger, fairer, and more dignified healthcare system in KwaZulu-Natal.' Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL News
IOL News
17 hours ago
- IOL News
KZN Health MEC responds to damning allegations
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu-Simelane responds to several allegations levelled against her, dismissing them as a political smear campaign. Image: Supplied KWAZULU-NATAL Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has denounced what she describes as a coordinated campaign of online misinformation and character attacks targeting her and her family. The MEC confirmed that while she has taken time to respond publicly, it was because her focus remained firmly on delivering the provincial health budget - a critical task for the department and its service delivery mandate. Now that the budget has been tabled, she believed it was necessary to address the recent wave of "false claims and restore public confidence". Simelane, through a statement released by a public relations agency said, "the defamatory allegations have been based on falsified content, manipulated timelines, or entirely unfounded rumours". She noted that the timing and volume of the allegations, all surfacing simultaneously, were neither accidental nor organic, saying they appeared to form part of a deliberate political smear campaign intended to distract from the progress made within the public healthcare sector. 'The timing of all these baseless accusations surfacing together is no coincidence. They are part of calculated efforts to deliberately tarnish my reputation,' she said. 'I have been in public service since 2004, and my 21-year track record speaks for itself. I have the same right as any citizen to defend my name, to stop the spread of lies, to protect my reputation, and to safeguard the integrity of my office and the important work it represents for the people of KwaZulu-Natal, which is exactly what I'm doing.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Upholding the Constitution and healthcare rights Responding to criticism about undocumented immigrants receiving treatment in public hospitals, Simelane reaffirmed that South Africa's Constitution guarantees access to emergency healthcare for all individuals, regardless of nationality. She stated that while resource constraints continue to challenge the system, denying emergency medical care based on nationality would be unlawful and unethical. The Department of Health remains committed to delivering care fairly and consistently, within the bounds of the law. 'I agree that illegal immigration is a serious problem in our country, but we cannot turn away human beings in need of medical treatment. Denying emergency medical care based on nationality would not only be inhumane but also unlawful.' Although lawful protests are acknowledged and respected, she condemned any form of action, including road blockages or hospital disruptions, that endangered lives. Refuting media interference The MEC said she had no involvement in the non-renewal of radio presenter Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma's contract with Vuma FM. The station itself confirmed that the decision was made as part of its internal HR processes, with no external influence. 'I respect media freedom, but this freedom comes with legal and ethical responsibility to report fairly and accurately. When false allegations are spread, I have the same right as any citizen to defend my name,' Simelane said. She has since taken legal action to protect her reputation and the integrity of her office, following the vilification attempts made by certain individuals online. These actions are rooted in Simelane's constitutional right to defend herself and do not constitute an attempt to silence legitimate journalism. Farm loan and agricultural support clarified Unfounded critiques around her family's purchase of a farm have also been raised. The farm was financed through a loan from Ithala Bank in 2008, which was granted four years after Simelane had resigned from the family business in 2004, and years before she became Chairperson of the Agriculture Portfolio Committee in June 2016. In 2008, she was serving as a junior official in an entirely separate department without any input into or influence over Ithala Bank's loan approval processes. The facts of the matter remain clear and verifiable: The farm was financed through a private loan by Ithala Bank in 2008. MEC Simelane resigned from the family business in 2004, four years before the loan was issued. Her role as Chairperson of the Agriculture Portfolio Committee began only in 2016, well after the farm was acquired. Her family further applied for routine agricultural support from the Department of Agriculture on several other occasions over the years, all through standard application procedures. These applications were adjudicated by independent technical panels, without any involvement from elected officials. While the farm remains a separate family business, Simelane is not shying away from the facts. To further ensure transparency and public trust, a full and detailed report has been submitted to the Premier. In response to political opponents who have leveraged the claims to demand her resignation, Simelane strongly refuted the allegations, saying she will not bow to bullying tactics. 'Leadership should never be determined by threats or intimidation, but by truth, service, and due process. Sadly, bullying and online trolling have become far too common in our society by those seeking to harass and undermine others. I will not bow to those tactics, and I will not allow them to compromise the progress we are making within the province.' Family employment allegations Additional claims have suggested that the MEC used her position to influence the employment of family members. These are also false. Her sister's appointment as the Assistant Director of Human Resources in the Department of Health followed a transparent, competitive recruitment process. Her sister was already working within the department, and had the relevant qualifications and experience when she applied for the position. An independent panel conducted the interviews, and the MEC had no involvement. Her brother is a qualified finance professional with 15 years of corporate experience and verifiable academic credentials, and is employed as Director of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. Simelane said the accusations of fraudulent CVs or preferential treatment are not only unsubstantiated, but deeply offensive to the many black professionals who have earned their positions through merit and hard work. Focused on service delivery As online narratives grow more personal and defamatory, Simelane affirmed her continued commitment to public service and delivery. Despite these distractions, the Department of Health continues to focus on expanding service access, improving healthcare infrastructure, and safeguarding the rights of all citizens. 'South Africa deserves leadership that is focused on service delivery, not to be preoccupied by political games and agendas. I will not be drawn into distractions or tomfoolery. I will not play politics with people's lives. I will continue to do what I have done since 2004: serve with dignity, lead with humility, and strive for a stronger, fairer, and more dignified healthcare system in KwaZulu-Natal,' Simelane concluded. SUNDAY TRIBUNE
SowetanLIVE
2 days ago
- SowetanLIVE
Ambulances, electronic records will be key focus for KZN health department
The KwaZulu-Natal legislature supported the health department's plan to increase daily operational ambulances and improve hospital efficiency with eHealth despite a reduced budget for employee compensation and the recruitment of additional medical personnel. That came up on Tuesday when health MEC Nomagugu Simelane delivered the department's R56.2bn budget for the 2025/26 financial year at the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg. Last month the premier said he would advertise 20 posts to address the growing unemployment crisis among healthcare professionals after unemployed doctors staged a sit-in outside the KZN premier's office for several days. The protesters gathered to express frustrations over the delay in advertising doctors' posts in the province despite promises earlier this year by the national government to fill new positions. The department had no cuts on its baseline allocation, which was instead increased by 2.5%, for the first time in 19 years after losing more than R8bn in its baseline budget in the past six years. Simelane said this deficit had resulted in the department struggling to meet some healthcare demands, including filling critical posts in nursing, medicine, administrative, and allied health professions as well as hindering some of its infrastructure development including a backlog of 250 clinics and routine maintenance in other facilities. With the increased allocation, Simelane said, the department's priority was the long-standing issue of ambulance shortages. 'KZN's vast and difficult terrain, coupled with budget limitations, has meant that we have only been able to replace ageing ambulances, not expand our fleet as much as we would have liked to. We have been transparent about this reality,' said Simelane. She said that has put a strain on the Emergency Medical Services' (EMS) response times when evacuating the sick and injured, as well as transferring patients between facilities. She said the department is establishing a panel of licensed private EMS providers to complement its existing fleet and reduce response times. The panel will consist of the more than 300 licensed private ambulances that are already operating in the province. Simelane said they have allocated the R81m EMS budget to fund the procurement of 50 new ambulances and 10 35-seater planned patient transport buses and use part of it for outsourcing EMS services from the private sector 'This is a temporary measure for six months, while we fine-tune our procurement processes.' The department is further planning to procure a total of 200 vehicles — made up of general fleet, mobile clinics, and EMS response vehicles — this financial year. It will also introduce a roadside assistance programme to reduce turnaround times for minor repairs and maintenance, which will see the appointment of 12 artisan mechanics and the procurement of 11 vehicles to support district-level maintenance.
