The Gauteng Health Department owes its suppliers R3.6 billion in unpaid invoices. The debt is hurting the supply of medicine to clinics and hospitals and delaying treatment for patients.
The DA said up to 50 critical medicines are out of stock in the province. These include pills for high blood pressure, blood clots, epilepsy and mental health conditions.
“Currently, up to 50 critical medicines are out of stock, and patients whose health and well-being depend on state medicine have no way to access their pills,” the DA’s Michele Clarke said.
On 7 October 2026, the department admitted it was struggling with supply problems affecting some medicines. It said the causes include changes to medicine contracts, supplier delays and wider supply chain pressure.
The department said patients should understand that only some medicines are in short supply for a while. It said other suitable options are still available.
“Patients may receive medicines from different approved manufacturers or in different packaging while the medicine remains the same in its composition,” the department said. It added that it is working with the National Department of Health to fix the delays.
Gauteng Health MEC Faith Mazibuko said patients are given other medication so that their care is not interrupted. However, several patients have said they could not get their medicine from state facilities and cannot pay for private care.
At Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, patients said they could not get Symbicort. The medicine treats chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which blocks airflow to the lungs.
At Steve Biko Academic Hospital, a pensioner at risk of severe blood clots went two months without her blood thinner. She said she lives on a social grant of R2,400 and cannot pay R2,000 for the medicine herself.
She said the hospital told her a blood clot had formed in her leg. Even so, it could not give her the medicine she needs.
Nigel Clinic has not been able to supply ADHD, anxiety and autism medicines for three months. Northmead Clinic ran short of epilepsy medicines, anti-psychotic drugs and antiretrovirals for babies and young children with HIV.
The payment problems are not new. The department has struggled to pay its suppliers on time since 2017.
Audits found it paid only 43% of its invoices within 30 days in the first quarter of the 2026/2027 financial year. MedicalBrief reported that debt from medical lawsuits also adds to the pressure.
According to MedicalBrief, the department faces a shortfall of about R8 billion each year. This means every new financial year starts with old debt still to be paid.
DA health spokesperson Madeleine Hicklin called for an urgent investigation and action on the shortages. Clarke said the party lodged a Promotion of Access to Information Act request with the department on 28 October 2026.
The request asks for all reports on medicine stock levels between April and October 2026. The DA said it will keep pushing the department to pay its suppliers so patients get the right medicine.
Source: this article is based on reporting by newsday.co.za. Image: newsday.co.za. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.