Monica Lucas is SAMED Board Member
The South African Medical Technology Industry Association (SAMED) has called for urgent and measurable action to resolve the escalating supplier debt crisis within Gauteng’s public health system, warning that continued delays in payments and procurement failures are placing both healthcare delivery and supplier sustainability at serious risk.
The call comes ahead of the Gauteng Department of Health’s hospital-level engagements with suppliers on 27 May, following MEC for Health and Wellness Faith Mazibuko’s recent acknowledgement that approximately R8 billion is owed to suppliers.
SAMED’s latest member data shows that R245 517 666.12 is owed to 27 medical technology suppliers, with a significant portion overdue well beyond the public sector’s 30-day payment requirement. Many affected suppliers are South African SMEs now operating under severe financial strain, forced to absorb the consequences of systemic procurement and payment failures while continuing to supply essential medical devices, diagnostics, consumables, and other critical technologies needed for patient care.
While SAMED welcomes the Department’s willingness to engage directly with suppliers, the association stresses that these discussions must lead to concrete commitments and operational action.
