The City of Joburg’s long-standing relationship with Netcare Milpark Hospital has reportedly turned sour over a R15-million medical bill. Picture: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency (ANA)
Johannesburg - The City of Joburg’s long-standing relationship with Netcare Milpark Hospital has reportedly turned sour.
This comes after allegations surfaced that the city owes the hospital over R15 million.
The city is said to have incurred the multimillion-rand medical bill after its public safety officers and City Power employees injured on duty received treatment at the facility.
Marc van Heerden, general manager of Netcare Milpark Hospital, would neither confirm nor deny the city’s debt.
“For many years, Netcare MilparkHosbpital, a level 1 Trauma Society of SA accredited trauma centre, and the independent medical professionals and providers practising at our health-care facility, have cared for City of Joburg employees when they sustain injuries on duty,” he said.
Van Heerden told The Star that the hospital was in negotiations with the city and that it would not be appropriate to share further details publicly.
According to ActionSA president Herman Mashaba, several letters had been written to suspended Public Safety MMC Mally Mokoena, who allegedly did not have the decency to acknowledge receipt nor respond.
“Because the city is unable to pay their Milpark Hospital bills, any public safety officers and City Power employees injured on duty will no longer receive the best medical treatment,” Mashaba said in a statement.
He said brave and committed Joburg metro police officers went about their difficult and dangerous work knowing that the city would ensure they received the best medical treatment, but this is no longer the case.
“Mayor Geoff Makhubo remains available to take selfies at roadblocks with JMPD officers, but when those officers need help, they will be on their own. Of greatest concern is the silence of the trade unions in this matter, who are clearly pandering to the ANC rather than representing their members.”
In a statement, mayoral spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase said the municipality had begun a process to settle a R15.7m debt with Netcare Hospital Group for the treatment of public safety officers and City Power staff injured on duty.
“The debt was accumulated when claims by doctors who attended to the officers and staff were left unpaid because they were not registered on the city’s vendor system, in line with the city’s procurement processes,” he said.
Ndamase dismissed reports that the city owed the hospital group R34m.
Ndamase said consultations had afforded the city and the Netcare Hospital Group an opportunity to finalise Netcare Group’s registration on to the city’s suppliers database, a process settled on March 2, and has enabled the payment process to commence.
“At no point were JMPD officers and City Power officials turned away or declined medical attention at the Milpark Hospital due to the outstanding payments to the hospital group.”
Ndamase added that in an effort to remedy this situation, the city had convened an urgent meeting with specialist doctors working with the Netcare Group to assist them to register in the city’s suppliers database.
“The outcome of the engagement will expedite the processing of outstanding payments.”
The Star
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