The Gauteng health department has recently faced criticism for its handling of human resources management, particularly in relation to employees exaggerating their leave days. The department has come under fire for incentivizing employees to misuse their sick leave entitlements, leading to concerns about the abuse of incapacity leave.
A recent meeting on the Policy and Procedure for Incapacity Leave and Ill Health Retirement highlighted the issue, with CEOs and HR managers from various divisions within the department discussing the number of staff members who have exhausted their sick leave days and subsequently been placed on unpaid leave. An audit is currently underway to investigate instances of unauthorized incapacity leave, which has emerged as a trend following the department’s Ziveze campaign to identify ghost employees.
Professor Alex van den Heever, an expert in healthcare governance, emphasized the need for a formal committee to assess employees requiring prolonged incapacity leave. He stressed that employees deemed legitimately incapacitated should be supported by the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) rather than funded through the provincial health budget. However, cases of unjustified incapacity should result in disciplinary action against department heads.
The financial implications of unapproved leave were also highlighted, with Van den Heever warning that mismanagement of the personnel budget could have significant costs for the department. With approximately 76,000 employees and a substantial annual expenditure on personnel, failing to address unauthorized leave could compromise patient care and service delivery.
The department’s outdated organogram and lack of a permanent chief HR director were also criticized by Democratic Alliance Gauteng health spokesperson Jack Bloom. He highlighted the need for organizational restructuring and the appointment of key personnel to address longstanding issues within the department.
From a policy perspective, Van den Heever emphasized the importance of accountability in managing incapacity leave and ensuring financial sustainability. He called for action against accounting officers who fail to address irregular expenditure related to leave management, stressing the need for corrective and preventive measures to be taken.
Overall, the Gauteng health department is facing mounting pressure to address issues within its human resources management and improve transparency and accountability in handling employee leave entitlements. The outcomes of the ongoing audit and organizational restructuring efforts will be crucial in determining the department’s ability to effectively manage its workforce and deliver quality healthcare services to the community. A consistent failure to prevent and address irregularities can make the accounting officer’s position unsustainable, according to experts. This issue often arises due to a breakdown in the executive’s supervisory role, especially when conflicts of interest emerge from their involvement in appointing the Head of Department (HOD).
Evaluating the situation, it becomes clear that these conflicts can impede accountability, as the executive member may be complicit in any transgressions. The root cause of this problem is not the absence of legal frameworks, but rather the lack of enforcement of existing regulations.
To address this challenge, experts like Van den Heever recommend implementing a structural separation between administrative functions and executive authority. By creating this clear division, opportunities for collusion are minimized, thus promoting transparency and accountability within the public health system.
Van den Heever emphasizes that this reform should extend to all leadership appointments in healthcare institutions. By establishing clear boundaries and promoting a culture of accountability, the public health sector can work towards mitigating the risks associated with conflicts of interest and irregularities.
In conclusion, it is evident that a systemic failure in oversight structures can have detrimental effects on the functioning of healthcare institutions. By implementing reforms that prioritize transparency and accountability, the public health system can strive towards better governance and ultimately improve the quality of care provided to the community.
