Today, the Chairperson of the Health Portfolio Committee Ms Lydia Johnson (MPL) avowed with appreciation 'that the screws in the Department of Health have been tightened'.
This was when the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Department Mr Siphesihle Mkhize informed the portfolio committee that all indications suggest that the department will break even by end the financial year (31 March) spend the whole budget allocated.
The Health Portfolio Committee received reports on a number of areas from the department at a meeting held at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital. The committee decided that the financial status of the department will be a standing item in all meetings and today the CFO presented a preliminary report just before the financial year end.
Asked to confirm this, MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo said: "Indeed I have been checking the expenditure patterns and will confirm that we will spend all our grants. Where we may make savings is in the area of equitable share."
The department received an allocation of R24 billion in the 2011/12 financial year which was an increase from R20,7 billion in the previous year. In the 2009/10 financial year the department had an over expenditure because it had just started its turn-around strategy which was beginning to yield positive results.
Committee members congratulated the department for its success in turning the corner on financial spending and particularly praised the leadership of MEC Dhlomo and Dr Zungu (Head of Department) that is bringing the confidence of the people of KwaZulu-Natal in the public health.
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