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Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital is inundated with patients but has 774 vacant posts, which includes a shortage of 357 nurses and 124 doctors.

These figures are revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo Ralehoko in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

It works out to about 1 in 7 vacant posts out of the 5334 total staff complement.

The hospital is also short of 253 administrative and support staff, and 40 therapeutic services staff.

According to the MEC, the vacant positions are due to employee deaths, resignations, transfers and retirements.

Since January last year, 650 staff have left. Their exit interviews mention growth prospects, working conditions, family reasons and better remuneration.

The MEC admits the vacancies affect patients negatively as follows:

Increase in infections within the hospital, Patient Safety Incidents (PSI), litigations, waiting times, surgical backlogs, inadequate patient care and complaints.

It is scandalous that there are so many vacancies and resignations, mostly due to poor management and the botched re-opening after the devastating fire in April 2021.

This has led to neglect of patients, increased infections and massive surgery backlogs.

Hospital CEO Gladys Bogoshi has failed in her job and should be replaced with a dynamic new CEO to lead a rejuvenated management team at this flagship hospital.

Issued by Jack Bloom MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health