Public Protector finds underspending, poor planning delayed Charlotte Maxeke hospital repairs

By Akani Nkuna

The Public Protector South Africa (PPSA), led by Kholeka Gcaleka, has found that budget underspending, poor planning and weak coordination among state entities contributed to delays in critical repairs at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital following the devastating 2021 fire.

“It is apparent that the causes of the delays in this project are largely attributed to broader underlying administrative and systemic circumstances, such as delayed regulatory approvals, disagreements concerning project scope, transfer of custodianship of the hospital, failure to adhere to project plans, poor planning, poor project management, lack of proper coordination, and budget underspending,” Gcaleka said.

“The investigation has further shown a recurring pattern of lack of coordination and inefficient use of public resources.”

Gcaleka was briefing the media in Pretoria on Friday on findings into allegations of undue delays by the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID) and the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) relating