Confirming the suspension of the Eastern Cape’s superintendent general of health, provincial health minister Bevan Goqwana on Wednesday resisted calls for him to resign.
”I don’t think I will resign,” Goqwana said. Asked if he was satisfied with his work, Goqwana said: ”I’m a human being. Myself, I’m satisfied. I think I’m on the right track.”
Goqwana said superintendent general Lawrence Boya was suspended with immediate effect for maladministration, weak financial management, ”haphazard” monitoring of finances and insubordination.
He said Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela knew about problems in the department, but could not be part of the suspension because she would have to hear Boya’s appeal, if he made one.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM), based at Rhodes University, said Goqwana shared responsibility for the poor performance of the health department with Boya.
Thokozile Madonko, a researcher at the PSAM, said the Public Finance Management Act specifies that an accounting officer — in this case the superintendent general — must meet certain performance standards, which include the effective and transparent use of resources.
”Since Boya’s appointment in 2004, the department of health has been unable to properly account for its budget, and has received audit disclaimers for the 2003/04 and 2004/05 financial years,” argued Madonko.
He said this means the department was unable to demonstrate that all available resources had been properly used for the delivery of health services in the province.
However, Boya’s failure to turn the department around should be seen in the context of long-term systemic problems.
”To use the words of the MEC [provincial minister] himself, little has been done in the last 11 years to improve health services in the province,” said Madonko.
He said since Goqwana’s appointment in 1999, the department has received five audit disclaimers, meaning that, between 2000 and 2005, the department failed to account properly for R18,1-billion out of a total budget allocation of R22,6-billion.
In addition, the department has consistently failed to address many of the concerns raised by the auditor general and the standing committee on health regarding the department’s weak financial management.
Madonko said superintendents general cannot face the blame solely, with provincial ministers obliged under public-service regulations to ensure their departments run effectively and efficiently.
”As the political head of the department, MEC Goqwana is therefore ultimately also responsible for the long-standing poor state of affairs in his department. The PSAM calls on him to resign his position, failing which the premier should dismiss him with immediate effect,” said Madonko. — Sapa