Gauteng Health says DA’s Charlotte Maxeke medicine claims were flawed

The Gauteng Department of Health has rejected Democratic Alliance claims that patients at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital were being denied essential medicines, calling the DA’s statement factually flawed and saying the error was not publicly corrected.

What the DA said

Madeleine Hicklin, the DA’s Gauteng spokesperson for health, issued a statement on 16 July 2026 saying patients at Charlotte Maxeke had been unable to access essential medicines because of ongoing shortages. She warned of the clinical consequences, saying:

“for vulnerable patients with serious infections, every missed dose increases the risk of complications and could prove life‑threatening.”

Hicklin said her claims were based on accounts from the public rather than her own observations and called on Gauteng Health MEC Faith Mazibuko to intervene and be transparent about how widespread the problem was. She also challenged the hospital’s distinction between unavailable brands and unavailable medicines, saying patients and their families reported being unable to access essential antibiotics.

Gauteng Health’s response

Gauteng Health spokesperson Steve Mabona responded on 21 July 2026, saying the department had “noted with serious concern the reckless and misleading media statement issued by the Democratic Alliance’s Member of the Provincial Legislature, Madeleine Hicklin, on 16 July 2026.”

The department said hospital management engaged directly with Hicklin after her statement and identified inconsistencies in her account. Mabona noted that Hicklin had referred to patients being affected at a “Ward 5,” but that the hospital ‘‘does not have a Ward 5; the hospital uses a three‑digit ward numbering system.’’

According to Mabona, Hicklin ‘‘acknowledged the factual error,’’ but ‘‘regrettably, no public correction was issued, leaving misleading information in the public domain.’’

Warning against unverified public statements

Mabona argued that politicians making unverified statements about public healthcare risk causing panic and undermining public confidence. He said the department considers it irresponsible to make such allegations publicly before verifying the facts.

While Mabona did not deny broader challenges within the health system, he said those issues are handled through routine clinical and supply chain processes to ensure continuity of patient care and cautioned against misrepresenting isolated operational matters in a way that could unfairly damage confidence in healthcare institutions.

Department’s call

The department also urged public representatives of all political affiliations to verify information before making public statements and to correct the public record when inaccuracies are identified.