Latest news with #MotalataleModiba
The Star
2 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Weskoppies Hospital remains fully operational despite power cut, says Gauteng Health
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has confirmed that Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital remains fully operational and that patient care has not been compromised, despite the disconnection of electricity at the facility by the City of Tshwane on Monday. According to the department, the power cut occurred while a payment of R1.2 million for March and April electricity consumption was already being processed. The delay in settling the account has been attributed to the transition into the new financial year. 'The hospital normally makes additional payments to ensure continuous electricity supply, however, this time around it could not do so,' said the Gauteng health spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba, adding that the outstanding amount is currently in the payment process. In the meantime, the facility has remained functional through the use of five backup generators and a solar power system. 'We want to assure the public again that the backup power supply system, which includes five generators and a solar system at Weskoppies, is fully operational, and patient care will continue uninterrupted while the normal electricity supply is being reconnected,' said Modiba. The department also highlighted that, on the same day as the power disconnection, it had already paid R3.8 million to the City of Tshwane in relation to other healthcare facilities in the municipality.
Eyewitness News
4 days ago
- Health
- Eyewitness News
GDoH says plans in place to ensure health facilities are unaffected by Rand Water maintenance
JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) says it has contingency plans in place to ensure public health facilities are not affected by Rand Water's infrastructure maintenance. The water utility on Thursday began its planned maintenance, which is set to finish next Monday. Residents have been warned that several areas in the Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni metros will experience low pressure to no running water. The department said, amongst other contingency plans, municipalities will help in dispatching water tankers to the affected health facilities in the three districts. "As part of these measures, most of our facilities, if they are a clinic, they'll have JoJo tank, in hospitals, they will have boreholes and reservoirs that can at least supply or store water for a couple of days. We have also put in other measures to augment that supply through outsourcing additional water supply," said Gauteng Health spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba.
Eyewitness News
22-05-2025
- Health
- Eyewitness News
Gauteng Health Dept welcomes cash injection to replace ageing hospital equipment
JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng Health Department has welcomed a cash injection to replace ageing hospital equipment, including the machines that power laundry services in public facilities. The national Department of Health (GDoH) has set aside R100 million for Gauteng's recapitalisation programme in 2025, with half of that earmarked specifically for laundry machinery. But questions remain about whether it's enough to rescue a system buckling under decades of neglect. From Bheki Mlangeni to Tembisa Hospital, where infrastructure failures routinely disrupt care, broken machines, maintenance delays, and outsourced emergency fixes have become normal. Bheki Mlangeni Hospital, for instance, is currently backlogged and forced to rely on Chris Hani Baragwanath and Dunswart laundries to keep basics like bed linen in circulation. The Gauteng Department of Health said assessments had already been done to identify what needs fixing, with refurbishments underway at hospital theatres in Carletonville and Bheki Mlangeni. 'We do acknowledge that while this intervention is happening, we also experience frequent breakdowns, this impacts on our operational efficiencies," said GDoH spokesperson Motalatale Modiba. For communities where basic equipment failures routinely compromise patient care, the funding offers hope but whether it's enough to rebuild trust in the public health system remains to be seen.
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Gauteng Health to appeal judgment to clear Cancer treatment backlog
More than 3 000 cancer patients have been waiting up to three years for treatment. A blood donor donates blood at the Netcare Olivedale Hospital, 10 March 2022, at a special patient care day to celebrate cancer survivors and patients. Picture: Michel Bega The Gauteng Department of Health has welcomed a decision by the Johannesburg High Court granting it leave to appeal a judgment relating to the provision of radiation oncology services. In March, the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg declared the province's health department's failure to provide radiation and oncology services to cancer patients 'unlawful and unconstitutional.' The court also ordered the Gauteng Health Department to take 'all steps necessary' to provide radiation oncology services to patients on the backlog list for treatment at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital. Appeal After the judgment, the department filed an application for leave to appeal the decision. Gauteng Health Department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said they filed a notice of application for leave to appeal on 2 April 2025. 'The decision confirms that there are substantial legal grounds warranting further judicial consideration on several critical aspects of the case. ALSO READ: Court orders Gauteng Health to clear radiation oncology backlog at public hospitals 'The Department will now proceed with the appeal process to ensure that the issues raised in the judgment are comprehensively assessed and clarified,' Modiba said. Cancer Alliance The Cancer Alliance, represented by advocacy group Section 27, filed an application in the High Court in Johannesburg against the Gauteng health department for allegedly failing to spend R784 million allocated by the Gauteng Treasury in 2023. The radiation and other surgical backlogs showed that about 3 000 cancer patients were awaiting cancer treatment, some for more than three years. Judgement In the judgment, Acting Judge Stephen van Nieuwenhuizen noted that the constitutional rights of patients on the radiation oncology backlog list had been 'trampled upon' by the Gauteng Health Department. Nieuwenhuizen said this was because the ring-fenced funds specifically intended for patients and made available in April 2023 were lost due to the department's failure to outsource the radiation oncology service and spend such funds urgently before the annual obligation to return funds to Treasury came up. ALSO READ: Gauteng cancer patients battle illness and broken system amid R784m funding dispute
Eyewitness News
07-05-2025
- Health
- Eyewitness News
Gauteng DOH welcomes court granting it leave to appeal judgment on provision of radiation services
JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng Department of Health has welcomed a decision by the Johannesburg High Court granting it leave to appeal a judgment on the provision of radiation services to cancer patients. The department made the appeal on 2 April, a few days after judgment was handed down on the matter. It followed a long-drawn legal bid by human rights organisation Section 27 and the Cancer Alliance to secure radiation treatment for almost 3,000 patients at the Charlotte Maxeke and Steve Biko Academic hospitals. The judgment, granted in March, outlined that the health department must set aside R250 million for the oncology services. "The department will now proceed with the appeal process to ensure that the issues raised in the judgment are comprehensively assessed and clarified," said department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba. "We want to reiterate that we remain committed to improving access to life-saving oncology services and we believe that a full legal assessment will support the responsible and effective allocation of resources in the public interest."
