Sachs appointed to fix sick Gauteng health department

Gauteng Premier David Makhura has appointed former National Treasury budgeting chief Michael Sachs to fix the province’s historically sick department of health.

According to Makhura, Sachs will see to it that the department conforms to budget and stops high spending. He said he always wanted Sachs to come back to the province because he was competent in budgeting, public policy, economics and housing policy, among others.

The official, who was groomed at ANC headquarters before he was deployed to government, was warmly welcomed in the legislature. He would return to the premier’s office after he had accomplished the tasks at the health department.

The department is presently embroiled in an arbitration process probing the death of 143 mental patients that were transferred from Life Esidimeni facilities to non-governmental organisations that were ill-equipped and unable to take care of them.

Several senior officials were appearing before the arbitration process, headed by retired former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke.

Makhura, presenting his political report in the provincial legislature yesterday, vowed that nobody will escape accountability for the Life Esidimeni tragedy.

However, in a media briefing later, he declined to give specifics due to the ongoing arbitration process. But he insisted that disciplinary processes and criminal investigations are under way to bring culprits to book.

“The Life Esidimeni tragedy exposed deep institutional problems within the Gauteng public health system. Serious governance failures compromised the quality of care of millions of people who depend on the government public health system, especially the poor and most vulnerable sections of society such as those who use mental health services,” said Makhura.

He said urgent steps needed to be taken to turn around the performance of the provincial department of health. An intervention team of public health experts and managers would work with Health MEC Dr Gwen Ramokgopa to attend to the department’s deep structural and financial problems.

“We are confident this intervention will succeed,” said Makhura. He said the death of 143 mental health patients was a tragedy that could have been avoided.

The tragedy would never be repeated in the province, he said.

“All those involved in this tragedy need to understand that there can be no closure for the families without full disclosure. No closure without accountability and answerability,” Makhura said.

Makhura, who dedicated his speech to the youth and progress made to bringing them into the province’s economic activities, said young people had taken advantage of new industries and opportunities opened for them by the provincial government.

He explained that the fourth industrial revolution has placed artificial intelligence, big data and knowledge at the centre of future production processes and ecosystems.

The premier commended top hip-hop artist Cassper Nyovest, who was his guest of honour at the legislature, for his recent #FillUpFNBStadium initiative which saw 68 000 young people attending.

Nyovest has contributed R50 000 to the student fundraising initiative at Wits University and another R100 000 to the campaign against xenophobia.

He is also one of the young ambassadors against women abuse and gender-based violence.

There can be no closure without full disclosure