ANC leaders accused of sitting idle while Limpopo’s healthcare system collapses
· Citizen
Non-compliant and unhygienic facilities, poor stock management and medical supply shortages, infrastructure hazards, inadequate water supply and insufficient human resources are some of the factors crippling clinics and hospitals in Limpopo in recent months.
This was revealed by the office of the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) recently, with opposition parties using it to criticise Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego ahead of the upcoming 2026 local government elections.
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Political parties said the AG’s revelation was exactly what Limpopo’s 6.4 million residents face every day when they visit the province’s clinics and hospitals.
Deteriorating healthcare services
The secretary-general of the Bolsheviks Political Party of South Africa, Seun Mogotji, accused the ANC’s leaders of sitting idle while the province’s healthcare system collapsed.
“While ordinary people wait for medication, ambulances, clean facilities and proper treatment, millions of rands continue to disappear through irregular expenditure and questionable procurement processes. The reported irregular expenditure relating to coal supply and public health linen demonstrates a government system that increasingly prioritises elective conferences, awarding of wayward tenders and political comfort over the lives of patients and struggling communities.
“While communities suffer inside collapsing clinics and overcrowded hospitals, ANC leaders continue holding expensive conferences and gatherings while basic healthcare services deteriorate,” he said.
Mogotji said it was unacceptable that in 2026 many healthcare facilities in Limpopo still struggle with water shortages, infrastructure hazards, medicine shortages and inadequate staffing levels.
“These are not luxury demands; they are basic constitutional obligations. We are calling on the ANC in Limpopo to stop prioritising political conferences and internal events while the healthcare system continues to collapse. Public resources must serve the people first.”
R12-billion legal claims
DA member of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature (MPL), Jacques Smalle, said Mashego and her department have made a grave mistake by failing to address these challenges.
“As a result, only 5 of 30 district hospitals (17%), 2 of 5 regional hospitals (40%) and only 289 of 476 primary health care (PHC) facilities (61%) attained ideal status in 2024/25 financial year,” he said.
Smalle said Limpopo is currently dealing with medico-legal claims in excess of R12 billion that continue to threaten the ability of the department to provide adequate health services.
The AG presentation, he said, also highlighted the irregular expenditure incurred, with the main contributors being the supply and delivery of fire tube boiler coal at R39.5 million and the supply and delivery of linen worth R88.7 million.
Smalle said the department’s shortcomings reduces the quality of the healthcare in Limpopo and put patients at risk. He said to address these issues, Mashego must prioritise infrastructure upgrades and maintenance, strengthen supply chain management, ensure adequate staffing and training, and implement quality assurance measures.
Limpopo health department responds
Responding to the allegations, the spokesperson of Limpopo department of health, Neil Shikwambane, urged opposition parties not to draw conclusions solely from the audit findings without considering progress made by the department.
“The issues you are raising emanate from the Auditor-General’s report for the 2024/25 financial year, which was concluded in July 2025. The AG is currently finalising the 2025/26 audit process, which will provide a more comprehensive picture on progress made or shortcomings identified since the previous audit cycle. It would therefore be prudent to allow that process to conclude so that public discourse is informed by updated audit outcomes,” he said.
Shikwambane further stated that while challenges remain, the department has recorded achievements aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery across the province. These include improvements in access to primary healthcare services, continued infrastructure upgrades at selected facilities, recruitment of healthcare professionals in critical areas, expansion of specialised health services, and efforts to improve medicine availability and supply chain management.
“The department remains committed to improving healthcare delivery for all residents of Limpopo. We acknowledge existing challenges and continue implementing interventions to address infrastructure backlogs, staffing shortages, water supply constraints and service delivery concerns identified through internal monitoring and external oversight mechanisms,” he added.