Johannesburg: Theft and vandalism of hospital infrastructure continue across Gauteng public hospitals, with the latest report of copper theft at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) early this month.
The latest incident of theft has prompted the DA to call for the security company guarding and protecting Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital to be fired. This comes after yet another incident of copper pipe theft at the hospital.
According to the DA's shadow MEC for health, Jack Bloom, the latest incident took place in the first week of January, where cable theft to the value of R 3 million was stolen and stripped off at the facility.
"The Democratic Alliance is calling for the security company at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital to be fired after yet another major theft of copper pipes. Early this year, on the 7/8 January 2023 weekend, R 3m copper piping was stolen from above an operating theatre. This follows the theft last year of copper cables worth R30m and equipment worth R 200 000 from the hospital," Bloom said.
Bloom said incidents of theft at the hospital and across the province’s hospitals, including Chris Hani Baragwanath, where a similar theft has occurred, continue unabated even though millions are spent each year on security services. Bloom said the department spends more than R30 million on security services each year. Some of these thefts put the lives of patients at risk, especially those that relied on machinery for survival.
"These high-value thefts occurred despite spending more than R30m every year at this hospital, which is supposed to have functioning security cameras at key locations as well. I suspect there has been inside collusion with these thefts. But whatever the reason, the security company has to be held accountable," he said.
Bloom said all the security contracts in the province should have been reviewed and advertised more than six years ago. "All the Gauteng hospital contracts were supposed to be advertised more than six years ago after the expiry of the previous two-year contracts, but these contracts have been irregularly extended on a month-to-month basis.
“There is an urgent need for new security contracts at all Gauteng public hospitals to ensure cost-effective and efficient security to stop the thefts and protect staff and patients," he said.
The Star