The Gauteng Health system is tightening its grip on unpaid fees amounting to about R4.6bn, reported Independent Online (22 March 2026).
According to the Department’s spokesperson, Kealeboga Mohajane, the Department aims to recover money that is owed, fix weak internal processes and protect frontline service delivery. This is not only about balancing the books. It is about sustaining services in a system already stretched by demand, budget constraints and medico-legal costs, said Mohajane.
“The Department is pursuing payments from entities such as the Road Accident Fund, SAPS, Correctional Services and other provinces. These claims often involve long payment cycles and complex administrative processes.”
Almost R2.4bn of the debt is linked to self-paying patients; the rest is due to unpaid claims involving state entities and medical schemes.
Since June 2025, five debt collection agencies have been appointed, recovering about R28m.