Sheriff seizes furniture, equipment from Gauteng Health Department
The Gauteng Health Department has failed to pay its debt and department officials have had no choice but to stand by and watch as office equipment and furniture was seized.
This is not the first time the department's assets have been seized.
DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC Jack Bloom has raised serious concerns about the "financial crisis" facing the department.
"I have seen for myself, they are taking chairs, a fridge and fans. I don't know how the department will operate."
Sheriff of the court taking computers, chairs, fans, TVs, even a fridge from Gauteng Health Dept for unpaid debts. It's really shameful! pic.twitter.com/XiSUWqhFLD
— Jack Bloom (@JackBloomDA) November 14, 2017
The Gauteng Health Department has confirmed the asset seizure.
Depertment spokesperson Lesemang Matuka says: "Yes, I can confirm some of our furniture has been attached by the sheriff of the court this afternoon."
He would not be drawn in on the reasons behind the ordeal.
In September, the cash-strapped provincial health department confirmed that Telkom had cut off its phone lines due to non-payment.
TimesLive reported that the Gauteng Department of Health also had 14 FNB bank accounts attached after failing to pay Joubert Attorneys for four medical negligence claims.
The sheriff of the court attached the department's bank accounts - halting spending until they've settled the fees with the legal firm.
In this case the department owes R33.7-million for four cases of children brain damaged at birth, TimesLive reported.
In 2015, the sheriff of the court removed furniture from the department's office after it had failed to pay court-ordered damages for medical negligence.