This as the MEC for Finance, Elzabe Rockman, is next week expected to present the Free State Medium Term Budget Policy Statement. The much anticipated mid-term budget speech is set to reveal how much the different departments have thus far spent, which projects have been prioritised, what still need to be achieved in the province, and how the provincial budget can be re-directed. During the tabling of the annual provincial budget earlier in March, Rockman allocated the biggest chunk of the provincial budget to the Health and Education departments, stating that they are the two biggest Free State departments. The Department of Education was allocated the biggest chunk, which amounted to R13.5 billion while the Health Department received more than R10.4 billion.

Following concerns that have been raised by members of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) over the state of healthcare services in the province, there are high expectations that Rockman speaks on the budget allocated to the Health Department and how effectively it should have been used.

NCOP members have during their last visit in September highlighted issues regarding the high vacancy rate in this department, backlog of infrastructure development, lack of resources, the continuous use of private ambulance service providers, and high number of litigation cases.

It was revealed that the department is facing over R1.8 billion worth of lawsuits for malpractice arising from lawsuits that date back as far as 2001 and that the department had already paid over R21 million in medical claims this year alone.

Rockman is set to deliver her mid-term budget speech Tuesday, November the 13th, in the Provincial Legislature.

OFM News