Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has told Parliament that by Tuesday this week, more than 200 unemployed doctors had received their appointment letters. “Just over 800, have submitted their details, and around 270 have already received appointment letters. We are quite certain by the time we reach the end of the month most of it, if not all of those will be done,” Phaahla stated.

This comes after _”an additional R3.7 billion allocation to the department”_ during the February national budget, for the recruitment and compensation of health workers. Phaahla was answering oral questions in the National Assembly.

Phaahla was questioned by Members of Parliament about the plight of the unemployed doctors. Recently, some of the unemployed doctors took to the streets demanding to be employed in the public sector. The Minister confirmed that all provinces have now advertised vacant positions that were frozen.

Some MPs pressed Phaahla on the exact number of doctors that will be employed. “I want to know the exact number of doctors that your department plans to hire in 2024/2025 with the allocated budget for recruitment and the time frame,” said IFP MP Duduzile Hlengwa.

The Minister explained that out of the 2,200 doctors who completed their community service, he does not know how many want to work in the public sector. “What we then depend on is only when you advertise a post and somebody submits an application. We have already, over 100 positions in all provinces, how many takers we don’t know.”

Phaahla added that the target for the employment of these doctors is before the end of this financial year. He also noted that the allocation is for the compensation of nurses, pharmacists and other health workers as well.