News24 reports that the Eastern Cape Department of Health has been accused of paying R67 million in salaries to staff at a hospital which has been effectively closed for two years.

According to Eastern Cape MPL Jane Cowley, the Orsmond Tuberculosis Hospital in Kariega has been closed to patients for almost two years. Despite this, dozens of employees are still being paid their salaries. "This shocking revelation was made in response to a parliamentary question from the DA, where the department acknowledged the hospital has had no patients for almost two years. Forty-five medical employees refused to be allocated to other medical facilities in the district, despite this being agreed to by their unions," Cowley stated. Further answers to Cowley's questions revealed the labour dispute was being managed and an agreement had already been reached "with labour in the interim and while the bigger organisation-wide service delivery optimisation and organogram is under review, the remaining staff will be gainfully employed". Cowley was told the redeployment would be finalised in June. "Hospitals and clinics across the province are dealing with dire staff shortages, which has crippled service delivery to patients in critical need of healthcare. Instead of filling these vacant posts, the department pays staff at a defunct institution millions for absolutely no work," Cowley complained.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Mitchley at News24

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