Independent Media reports that Health Minister Zweli Mkhize wants provincial departments to prioritise the filling of vacant posts of chief executive officers (CEOs) at hospitals across the country.

This was indicated in Mkhize’s response to parliamentary questions from Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Haseena Ismail, who had enquired about the percentage of vacant posts at state hospitals in each province and the number of chief executive officers that were still in an acting capacity. Mkhize reported that 13% of posts at public hospitals across the country had been vacant as of February. Free State had the highest vacancy rate at 21%, followed by Western Cape at 15% and KwaZulu-Natal and North West at 14% each. The vacancy rate in the Eastern Cape stood at 13%, Mpumalanga at 12% and Limpopo at 7%. Mkhize also indicated that there were 64 acting CEO at public hospitals. He commented as follows: “The national Department of Health acknowledges the reported number of acting Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) as high. As a result, the Director-General has written letters to the provincial heads of Health Departments to prioritise the appointment of experienced eligible candidates permanently to the positions of CEOs at their earliest convenience to ensure stability and service delivery continuity in the affected Hospitals.”

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mayibongwe Maqhina at Independent Media

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