WeeklySA_AdminCONDITION: Staff unhappy and demoralised to work at dilapidated offices which were damaged by heavy rainfall four years ago, but remain unfixed…
By Yoliswa Sobuwa
The Limpopo health department has come under fire for continuing to pay a hefty monthly rental for a rundown building in Polokwane that houses its provincial medicine depot.
Despite the building’s deteriorating condition, the department continues to pay R150 000 monthly to the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA), without a clear long-term plan to address the state of the building. To make matters worse, workers at the facility claim that the department has been paying rent without a valid lease agreement since April of last year. The medical depot plays a crucial role in servicing over 400 clinics and 43 hospitals across Limpopo. The building, which has been in use since 2011, has been in a state of disrepair since 2021 when torrential rain damaged equipment, furniture and medicines.
Workers at the depot have raised serious concerns about the building’s condition affecting their work and health. Speaking to Health-e News, employees who wished to remain anonymous as they are not allowed to speak to the media described the situation as unbearable.
One employee says: “The roof was damaged by heavy rains in 2021, leaving part of it immersed in water. But nothing has been done to fix it.”
The staff report that on rainy days, it becomes nearly impossible to work as water floods the building. The persistent water leakage leaves carpets smelling damp for days.
“The smell is unbearable, and we’re worried about the long-term impact it could have on our health [due to mold],” says the worker. Limpopo health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana explains that the department continues to pay the monthly rent due to existing contractual obligations.
“Although the lease expired in April last year, the department continues to pay rent to ensure uninterrupted services from the medicine depot. This temporary arrangement will end once the new pharmaceutical depot is operational after its completion,” Shikwambana says.
The new depot is expected to be complete in the second quarter of the 2025/26 financial year.
The Conty Lebepe Foundation, a non-profit organisation supporting marginalised communities in Limpopo, says they have raised this issue with former health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba and current MEC Dieketseng Mashego.
Two weeks ago, the foundation’s national coordinator, Conty Lebepe, visited the building and described the situation as appalling.
“The department could find a suitable building but has decided to pay hefty rent for a rundown property. One wonders what the deal is between the department and LEDA,” says Lebepe. According to Shikwambana, the department awarded a contract for the construction of a new pharmaceutical depot, which is currently underway. “As soon as the new facility is ready, the department will relocate and cease payments for the current rundown building,” he says. – Health-e News
Mirror Briefs
SASSA FRAUD: 6 WOMEN JAILED
Six women were sentenced to five years imprisonment each, wholly suspended for five years on condition that they are not found guilty of fraudulent activities during the period of suspension.
The women were sentenced in the Nelspruit Serious Commercial Crime Court yesterday.
The convicts, Nonhlanhla Madalane (36), Tswarelo Masuku (32), Nelile Shiba (29) and Prudence Nkosi (31) allegedly colluded with unknown health workers and received fraudulent proof of children’s birth.
They then registered the ghost children with the Department of Home Affairs and acquired birth certificates. They all used the birth certificates to access child support grants from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
An anonymous whistleblower reported the criminal activities to the Public Service Commission. The commission decentralised the complainant to the province. The matter was allocated to the Hawks Nelspruit based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for further handling. The investigation revealed that the fraudulent activities dated back from 2012 until they were reported in 2023.
The six women were arrested and released on bail in May 2023. They made several court appearances until they were sentenced to five years imprisonment each. They were also ordered to pay back the money lost by SASSA in instalments.
Madalane was ordered to repay R20 330.64; Masuku R20 238.23; both Shiba and Nkosi R10 344 each. – Mpumalanga Mirror
Human trafficking suspect held
A traditional healer was arrested on Monday after allegedly trafficking a 17 year-old girl from Mozambique to South Africa under a false job opportunity.
According to reports, the victim was taken from Xai Xai by the healer who promised her a job at a hair salon. On arrival in Hendrina, he told the victim there was no job and that he wanted to make her his wife.
The victim was allegedly assaulted and raped. She was also given substances believed to be the traditional healer’s medicine.
The victim was rescued eight months later by a passer-by who notified the police of her suffering. The victim was allegedly in captivity from November 2023 until she escaped in July 2024.
The Hawks Secunda based Serious Organised Crime Investigation learned about the incident when they were conducting an awareness campaign on human trafficking in Piet Retief. The team took it upon themselves and conducted further investigation.
The suspect allegedly escaped to Mozambique but was arrested immediately after his return to the country on Monday.
The Hawks will also engage the Department of Home Affairs to verify the suspect’s citizenship as the names on his traditional certificate and passport do not correspond.
The suspect was expected to appear in Hendrina Magistrate’s Court soon. – Mpumalanga Mirror
