Millions owed for negligence cases

The Sheriff of the Court yesterday served a warrant of execution on the ailing Gauteng department of health to attach 14 bank accounts.

This, the DA said, would enable the payment of R33.7million, plus 10.5% interest for late payment, for four cases of medical negligence.

DA Gauteng health spokesman Jack Bloom said: “The amounts now claimed from 14 FNB accounts relate to court-ordered payments for four medical negligence cases of children brain damaged at birth, represented by O Joubert Attorneys.

“It is shameful that the sheriff has to resort to the extreme action of attaching bank accounts because the department refuses to comply with court orders,” he said.

“Negotiations were attempted with the department but no response was forthcoming.”

Two weeks ago, furniture was attached from the head office in Johannesburg after it failed to honour another court order to pay R6.2-million for a medical negligence case.

This week, the department admitted the telephone lines at its Johannesburg office and Bheki Mlangeni Hospital in Jabulani, Soweto, were cut off due to nonpayment to service provider Telkom.

“The department has started discussions with Telkom to resolve the matter. They will be meeting before [the] end of this week where we will present a payment plan,” spokesman Prince Hamnca said earlier this week.

“The department would like to apologise to the public for the inconvenience caused.”

Bloom said: “Urgent action is needed to fix the financial woes of this department, which is leading to suppliers stopping services, including Telkom which has cut the telephones at the head office and at the Bheki Mlangeni Hospital. This is having devastating effects on service delivery.”

Earlier this month, Bloom said the department’s annual report for 2016/17 showed legal claims for medical negligence and other matters have soared to R21.96-billion. This was more than half of the department’s current financial year’s R40.2-billion budget.

“According to the report, the medical negligence claims have risen from R14.1-billion in April last year to R18.6-billion in April this year.

“Other large claims include R1.7-billion for civil claims.”