Groups of unemployed doctors and pharmacists in the Eastern have been camping outside the offices of the Department of Health in Bhisho, demanding immediate employment.
The campout is a ripple effect stemming from the announcement by Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla in January, that due to budget constraints, the Department of Health (DOH) is unable to approve new vacancies.
The medical professionals have engaged in marches to Bhisho in recent months, submitting memorandums to several heads of departments, and calling for the appointment of almost 200 unemployed graduates.
Pharmacist and Media Liason, Lonwabo Sityebi says their march in February resulted in the employment of about 98 doctors, while only 7 posts were made available for pharmacists.
Demands
The post-community service specialists who were left out of the initial recruitment process submitted their memorandum on 15 April.
Upon being sent from pillar to post, they proceeded with their campout on 30th April outside the DOH Bukumbana Building in Bhisho.
The group pleads with the ECDOH to immediately employ more than 150 post-community service pharmacists in government health institutions within their district municipalities.
They further asked that positions of Pharmacists who have exited the system or been promoted to senior roles be adequately filled to ensure a continuous employment cycle.
Meanwhile, 40 doctors who were also left out of the recruitment process are demanding to know where the R380 million recruitment budget for the 2024/25 financial year was spent.
More than 500 health professionals were expected to be employed
“There has been no progress since the last recruitment and this does not make sense. We have enquired and we have not received any reasonable answers.”
Dr. Mava Mazeka also disputed claims by Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth:
“On the 19th of March, the Health MEC released a statement on Umhlobo Wenene FM stating that all the post-community service doctors have now been employed, however, we could not dispute the statement as the radio station did not take any calls after the interview with the MEC.”
Algoa FM News could not get a response from the provincial government spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie and Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s spokesperson, Yanga Funani.
