A WELL-KNOWN charity organisation, Gift of the Givers, has been refused entry to two hospitals in Limpopo by the health department to deliver food to patients.
The organisation has been providing food to hospitals in the province following a shortage late last year. But it was shocked when it was refused entry to Lebowakgomo and Zebediela hospitals on Monday.
Patrick Thomas, a field worker of the organisation, said yesterday he did not understand why they were refused permission while the institutions were in dire need of food to feed their patients.
He said they had gone to deliver bags of mielie meal, samp, beans and cooking oil.
Thomas said after they were refused permission they ended up delivering the food parcels at a local creche in Zebediela.
"We discovered that the creche was also in dire need of food," he said.
It was reported last week that most of hospitals in the province have run out of food because service providers had failed to deliver food.
The service providers had also raised concerns that they had run out of capital to purchase the food required at the institutions. Unless payment was made for the services they had rendered, the situation in the hospitals would remain the same.
The provincial departments of health, public works, treasury, education and roads and transport had been placed under administration after their finances had dried up. The departments' procurement processes were also found to have been flawed, leading to the financial crisis.
According to Joe Maila, spokesman for the provincial department of health, the organisation had failed to make proper arrangements in terms of its intentions.
"We have 44 hospitals in the province. And not all of them are in dire need of food," Maila said.
He said it was imperative that the organisation approach them so they can help it in identifying institutions experiencing serious food shortages.
"We do not reject any form of assistance but would appreciate it if that kind of help is communicated to us first," he said.
Meanwhile the SA Communist Party in Limpopo yesterday called on the national government to place the whole Limpopo government under administration.
SACP interim secretary Gilbert Kganyago accused Premier Cassel Mathale's administration of failing to cooperate with the national team in good faith.
In giving a breakdown, he said agriculture department's fruitless and wasteful expenditure amounted to R2,608-million, with local government and housing recording R5-million, public works R219-million, social development R30,312-million, and the premier's office recording R152-million, as identified by the auditor-general.
Food parcels to Limpopo hospitals rejected
A WELL-KNOWN charity organisation, Gift of the Givers, has been refused entry to two hospitals in Limpopo by the health department to deliver food to patients.
The organisation has been providing food to hospitals in the province following a shortage late last year. But it was shocked when it was refused entry to Lebowakgomo and Zebediela hospitals on Monday.
Patrick Thomas, a field worker of the organisation, said yesterday he did not understand why they were refused permission while the institutions were in dire need of food to feed their patients.
He said they had gone to deliver bags of mielie meal, samp, beans and cooking oil.
Thomas said after they were refused permission they ended up delivering the food parcels at a local creche in Zebediela.
"We discovered that the creche was also in dire need of food," he said.
It was reported last week that most of hospitals in the province have run out of food because service providers had failed to deliver food.
The service providers had also raised concerns that they had run out of capital to purchase the food required at the institutions. Unless payment was made for the services they had rendered, the situation in the hospitals would remain the same.
The provincial departments of health, public works, treasury, education and roads and transport had been placed under administration after their finances had dried up. The departments' procurement processes were also found to have been flawed, leading to the financial crisis.
According to Joe Maila, spokesman for the provincial department of health, the organisation had failed to make proper arrangements in terms of its intentions.
"We have 44 hospitals in the province. And not all of them are in dire need of food," Maila said.
He said it was imperative that the organisation approach them so they can help it in identifying institutions experiencing serious food shortages.
"We do not reject any form of assistance but would appreciate it if that kind of help is communicated to us first," he said.
Meanwhile the SA Communist Party in Limpopo yesterday called on the national government to place the whole Limpopo government under administration.
SACP interim secretary Gilbert Kganyago accused Premier Cassel Mathale's administration of failing to cooperate with the national team in good faith.
In giving a breakdown, he said agriculture department's fruitless and wasteful expenditure amounted to R2,608-million, with local government and housing recording R5-million, public works R219-million, social development R30,312-million, and the premier's office recording R152-million, as identified by the auditor-general.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos