BUDGET 3.0 | R20bn to hire 800 doctors

The government has set aside more than R20bn to save thousands of jobs in the public health sector, including hiring 800 more doctors.

This was announced by finance minister Enoch Godongwana in the National Assembly on Wednesday when he tabled his latest version of the 2025/2026 budget, dubbed budget 3.0.

He told MPs R20.8bn would be added to the budget of the health department in the next three years, or the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF).

Government has recently come under fire for not hiring unemployed doctors who have completed their community service while there are serious staff shortages at state hospitals around the country.

The unemployed medical graduates recently resorted to a protest to highlight their joblessness.

“The health sector is provisionally allocated R20.8bn to cover compensation and essential services. This funding will facilitate the employment of 800 doctors who have finished their community service, safeguard about 4,700 health posts and address shortages in medical goods, services and accruals.

“An additional R1.4bn is earmarked for the construction of Siloam Hospital and the implementation of public-private partnership health technology at Tygerberg Hospital.”

Turning to education, he said R19bn has been earmarked for saving more than 5,000 teacher posts.

A further R10bn would be allocated for the expansion of early childhood development (ECD) in the MTEF period.

“A provisional allocation of R19.5bn is included for provincial education compensation costs, for safeguarding about 5,500 educator posts and for improving access to quality early childhood development. The ECD subsidy, unchanged since 2019 at R17 per child day, will be increased to R24 per day. Additional funding of R10bn over the medium-term will expand ECD access to an additional 700,000 up to the age of five.”

TimesLIVE