Gauteng Health Department Under Pressure As Hospital Visits Exceed Population in Province

• The Gauteng healthcare system is under immense pressure as the number of patients visiting hospitals in the province is higher than the population
• The province, alongside other provinces, is buckling under a healthcare system that is struggling with budget cuts
• Staff shortage, smaller budgets, and more patients are bearing heavily on the system, and South Africans are fed up

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of Current Affairs, contributed coverage of international and local social issues, including health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests, and immigration in South Africa, during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

GAUTENG — The Gauteng health system is under pressure to accommodate the growing number of patients and dependents in the face of budget cuts, debts, and an increasing population. Staff shortages contribute to the buckling system, a problem that is commonplace in the provinces.

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According to the Sunday Times, the number of patients who visited public healthcare facilities in the province increased by 1 million in the past three years, from 2022 to date. A total of 19.6 million patients visited clinics and hospitals. This exceeds the population of 16.1 million according to Statistics South Africa's 2025 population trends, published on 28 July 2025.

Budget cuts are plaguing the system

The province's Department of Health is also reeling from budget cuts. The National Treasury slashed R8 billion from the R67 billion health budget set aside for it. Furthermore, over 25,000 critical staff vacancies have yet to be filled in the face of a shrinking budget. The province is unable to employ specialists because of financial constraints. Gauteng also spent R4 billion on healthcare services.

Gauteng's healthcare woes

The Democratic Alliance raised concerns about the province's health department after it failed to pay salaries and buy supplies due to a R4.8 billion budget shortfall. The department also struggled to pay suppliers despite spending 54% of its R64.8 billion budget in the first six months of 2024.

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The Gauteng MEC for Health Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said in June 2025 that over 34,000 patients are still awaiting surgery in the province. She revealed that most of them are waiting for cataract surgeries.

What did South Africans say?

Netizens commenting on X shared their views.

Jarryd said:

"Because the comrades can't stop eating and also don't want to stop illegal immigration."

Fatso said:

"These statistics are misleading. What is the correlation between visits and patients? And these are visits per year. How many times does one person visit the hospital per year?"

Mpho said:

"Some of us are in Gauteng, and we don't use those facilities. Who does our taxpayers' money fund in those facilities?"

Stone said:

"That time, there are some with medical aid not using public services."

Tee said:

"I have never been in their facilities in years as a resident of the City of Johannesbug."

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Gauteng Health system at breaking point

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the deputy minister of health, Joe Phaahla, admitted that the province's healthcare system was at breaking point. He admitted that the province was overwhelmed.

Phaahla visited the Olivenhoutbosch Clinic in Tahwane on 15 April 2025. These were after complaints of long queues, a lack of medication, and understaffing that emerged from the clinic.

Source: Briefly News