The chief executive officers of eight Gauteng health facilities will reportedly face internal charges for allegedly failing to comply with health and safety measures during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi revealed this in a response to questions from the Democratic Alliance's (DA's) Jack Bloom, according to TimesLIVE.

The CEOs reportedly face similar charges, including that they allegedly failed to:

• hold daily meetings on personal protective equipment;
• carry out environmental risk assessments;
• hold weekly occupational health and safety meetings.

In a statement, Bloom said the health facilities included Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Helen Joseph Hospital, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Tshwane District Hospital, Wits Oral and Dental Hospital, Medunsa Oral and Dental Hospital, Medical Supplies Depot, and Forensic Pathology Services.

The Gauteng health department confirmed the content of Bloom's statement to TimesLIVE.

Bloom said the CEOs had been given final warnings for not complying with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I am concerned that CEOs of major hospitals neglected occupational health and safety during the Covid-19 epidemic. This increased the risk of staff contracting the virus," he said.

Since January last year, three other hospital CEOs were embroiled in disciplinary cases, Bloom added. These included cases at the Far East Rand Hospital, Bheki Mlangeni Hospital and Tembisa Hospital.

Tembisa Hospital CEO Dr Lekopane Mogaladi was served with a notice of precautionary suspension in January, following a damning report by the Health Ombudsman, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, with regard to the death of Shonisani Lethole.

The report revealed that the hospital was negligent for its treatment of Lethole, who died after being starved of food for more than 100 hours.

"It is disappointing that so many CEOs have not measured up to what is expected of them when running a hospital," Bloom added.