Latest news with #R590
IOL News
11-07-2025
- Health
- IOL News
R590 million funding boost for HIV and TB care in Western Cape
Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, welcomes the additional funding as a crucial boost to HIV and TB care, ensuring continued high-quality services for residents. Image: File The Western Cape Government has y welcomed the announcement of R590 million in additional funding earmarked for provincial health departments to strengthen HIV and tuberculosis (TB) programmes. The funding injection, revealed by National Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi during his recent budget speech, comes at a critical time following significant cuts to international donor funding earlier this year. In the Western Cape alone, the loss of donor funding amounted to approximately R360 million, severely affecting around 10 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and putting nearly 700 jobs at risk. The withdrawal disrupted essential services focused on prevention, treatment, and ongoing care for people living with HIV and TB. Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, described the funding as a vital boost to ongoing efforts to protect and support residents. "We welcome this additional funding to support residents in their health journeys to recover from TB and to manage and prevent HIV," she said. "In the Western Cape, we have been hard at work mitigating the effects of the funding shortfalls and planning for the future of HIV and TB programmes based on various funding scenarios. We have co-created a tiered response to ensure continuity of critical and essential services while adapting to the unfolding funding realities, with agility and foresight." The new allocation will allow the province to intensify efforts in key areas, including digitising health records, enhancing data systems, and stabilising the healthcare workforce. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading "This funding will allow us to intensify efforts in priority areas, accelerate the digitisation of health records to strengthen data systems, and allocate additional resources to stabilise and support the health system," Wenger said. "Our goal remains clear, to ensure that residents continue to receive the high-quality HIV and TB care they deserve." Previously, donor funding played a crucial role in supporting community outreach, health education, counselling, adherence support, and mobile X-ray services. It also funded technical services and health systems strengthening, such as testing and data analysis. In response to the recent funding cuts, the Western Cape Government acted quickly to mitigate the impact by fast-tracking the digitisation of patient records and prescriptions and expanding multi-month prescription programmes. These measures allowed stable patients, including those on antiretroviral therapy (ART), to collect medication less frequently, easing the burden on clinics. Western Cape Minister of Finance, Deidré Baartman, underscored the importance of the funding, calling it both a lifeline and an investment in the province's future. "This allocation of funds is not just a financial lifeline, it is an investment in the health and dignity of our residents," she said. "The Western Cape Government has a proven track record of delivery and is ready to make every Rand count. We call on the National Treasury to issue the allocation letters to provinces without delay, and to ensure that these funds are distributed swiftly and fairly so that we can continue our work uninterrupted." The Western Cape Government reaffirmed its commitment to building a resilient healthcare system that leaves no one behind in the fight against HIV and TB, ensuring that every resident receives the care and support they deserve. IOL News
The Citizen
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Treasury allocates R750m to offset Pepfar funding withdrawal as Motsoaledi tables health budget
Pepfar contributed just 17% to the overall funding for South Africa's HIV/Aids response. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi at Good Hope Chambers in Cape Town on 11 July 2024. Picture: Gallo Images/Misha Jordaan The National Treasury has allocated just over R750 million to the Department of Health to help close the gap left by the withdrawal of the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar). Earlier this year, United States (US) President Donald Trump signed an executive order to freeze foreign aid administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), impacting global health programs including Pepfar. The decision has had significant repercussions for South Africa's HIV/Aids and tuberculosis (TB) programmes. According to the government, Pepfar funding accounted for only 17% of the country's HIV response funding. Government reaffirms HIV/Aids commitment after Pepfar withdrawal Speaking in Parliament during a budget vote debate on Wednesday, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi reiterated the government's commitment to eliminating HIV/Aids as a public health threat by 2030. To reach the target of having 95% of HIV-positive people on antiretroviral therapy (ARVs), Motsoaledi said the department needs to reach 1.1 million people. Despite the funding cut, he stressed that the programme continues to make progress. 'I know that the withdrawal of Pepfar funding made some people believe that our massive – actually the world's biggest – HIV counselling, testing and treatment campaign has collapsed or is on the verge of collapsing,' Motsoaledi said in his speech. ALSO READ: Over 8 000 SA healthcare jobs lost – and more could follow – after US Pepfar aid cuts 'I have noticed with regret that in South Africa we seem to like the word 'collapse'. Every time something meets headwinds, it is said to have collapsed.' 'The public health system suffers this tag quite a lot. It is said to have collapsed so many times that I do not know how many lives it has.' 'Anyway, there is no way we are going to allow the world's biggest HIV/Aids Programme to collapse – never,' he continued. The minister told MPs that in addition to requesting help from the National Treasury, the Department of Health also approached other local and international funders. 'Treasury has come to the party,' he remarked. Watch the budget vote debate below: Treasury allocates funds Motsoaledi revealed that Treasury has provided R753 million (R753 528 000) to bolster the department's HIV/Aids initiatives. From this total, R590 million (R590 407 000) will be allocated to provinces through the comprehensive HIV/Aids section of the district health programme grant. Another R32 million (R32 121 000) is earmarked for strengthening the central chronic medicine dispensing and distribution (CCMDD) programme, as well as managing the pharmaceutical supply chain. In addition, R132 million will be allocated to the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) to fund health research efforts. READ MORE: Health experts warn of 'huge disaster' as USAID terminates Pepfar HIV funding in SA Motsoaledi also noted that both the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust have pledged R100 million each for research, on the condition that Treasury matches the combined contribution with R200 million. 'This has been accepted. Treasury is going to add R400 million,' he said. The R400 million will be released over a period of three years, with the first tranche of R132 million allocated in the current financial year. Pepfar contributed close to R8 billion Despite the new allocation, experts say it is not sufficient to fill the gap left by Pepfar's withdrawal. Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism founder and editor-in-chief Mia Malan expressed concern about the shortfall. 'Is the R753 million awarded by Treasury enough to plug the gap of Pepfar funds? Not even close. 'Pepfar awarded $439 537 828 (around R7.9 billion) to SA for [financial year] 2024/2025. [The health department] needed R2.82 billion to plug essential gaps,' Malan said in a social media post on Wednesday. NOW READ: SA funds 90% of its HIV/Aids ARV programme, Motsoaledi reveals amid Pepfar uncertainty
IOL News
24-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Financial Ombud gets bank to write off R233 000 home loan arrears after it sold home for R10 000
The National Financial Ombud Scheme South Africa intervened in a complaint after a bank sold a home for R10,000, leading to the cancellation of R233,000 in arrears. Image: File picture. The National Financial Ombud Scheme South Africa (NFO) has emphasised the need for fairness from financial institutions after intervening in a case where a bank sold a home for just R10,000 due to a client's home loan arrears. The intervention of the NFO led to the bank writing off the client's home loan arrears of more than R233,000. The details of the matter are contained in the NFO's recently released 2024 annual report. Between 1 March 2024 and 31 December 2024, the NFO handled 35,855 complaints that was dealt with by its four divisions - Non-life and Life Insurance, Banking and Credit. According to the report, in a complaint handled by the Ombud's banking division, a complainant held a Home Loan account with a bank and the account was in arrears. The report explained that the bank exercised its rights in terms of the home loan agreement and proceeded with legal action to recover the full outstanding balance owing on the account. "Judgment was granted and the property was declared executable. There was no reserve price set by the court for the sale of the property. The bank proceeded to sell the property on auction for R10,000 and the complainant remained liable for a shortfall of R233,241.90 after the proceeds of the sale had been credited to the account." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ When the NFO investigated the complaint, it was found that the property had been valued at R590,000. The outstanding balance on the home loan account at the time of the sale was R234,541.06. In addition, outstanding rates and taxes on the property amounted to R335,575.12 at the time of the sale. However, the NFO said it was of the view that despite these costs, there was still sufficient value in the property, and that a higher selling price could have been achieved by the bank to ensure that the full outstanding balance on the account was settled. The report said: "Whilst the NFO remained cognisant that the court did not set a reserve price and therefore the bank was not in contravention of any court order, the office exercised our equity jurisdiction and remained firm in its view that it could never be considered fair nor reasonable of a bank to sell someone's home for R10,000 when it has a market value of R590,000.00." The NFO therefore recommended that the bank write off the full shortfall amount. "The bank accepted the recommendation, and the full shortfall of R233,241.90 was written off," the report said. THE MERCURY
