Weak financial controls in provincial health departments pose significant fiscal risks, according to Treasury's medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS), tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. Treasury highlighted unpaid obligations, mounting debts and medico-legal claims as key pressures on health budgets.
Five of the nine provincial health departments received qualified audits for 2025/2026, the Auditor-General told Parliament last month. Three received unqualified audits with findings. Only the Western Cape achieved a clean audit.