Still no pay for interns, doctors in Gauteng

DESPITE promises that all interns and community service doctors at Gauteng hospitals would be paid their January salaries by yesterday at the latest, some doctors have been told that this will not happen, the DA said.

The provincial health department has acknowledged a delay in paying the January salaries of some after an administrative error in which their posts were not created on time.

Earlier this week, it undertook to pay outstanding salaries by February 7.

The DA said only 552 out of 1 378 junior doctors had been paid by January 31.

“Junior doctors at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital have been badly affected, and refused to work last weekend,” said DA Gauteng shadow member of the executive council for health Jack Bloom yesterday.

He said the health department’s claim that the problem was caused by the late creation of posts was a poor excuse.

“It is yet another indication that the ANC in Gauteng is failing to fix the deep-seated problems in this department, which has been plagued by corruption and mismanagement,” said Bloom.

The Gauteng health department said it currently had 1 528 trainees, although the initial number it was allocated was 1 378.

It said an additional 150 were allocated to ensure that all students in need of internship were provided an opportunity to complete their studies.