01 Apr 2026

Parliament has ratified an over-expenditure of P482 million incurred by the Ministry of Health in the financial year ending 31 March, 2025.

 That followed approval of the Supplementary Appropriation (2024/2025) Bill of 2026 on Tuesday.  Presenting the Bill earlier, on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, told Parliament that the supplementary request, contained in Financial Paper No. 1 of 2024/2025, was assessed in line with Section 119 (3) of the Constitution.

 “The Ministry of Health had incurred over-expenditure during the financial year ending 31 March 2025 and the authorised financial position for the ministry was exceeded by approximately P482 million,” Mr Mmolotsi said. 

He explained that the amount represented expenditure incurred in excess of what was already appropriated under the Consolidated Fund but was not included in the Appropriation Bill 2024/2025 (Act No. 7 of 2024). 

He added that the over-expenditure occurred mostly under personal emoluments, particularly basic salaries, overtime and other allowances. Mr Mmolotsi attributed the overrun largely to planning inadequacies, saying in the 2023/2024 financial year, 1 397 employees across various cadres were sent for training, creating a significant gap in the staff establishment.  That, he said, led to the engagement of temporary employees to fill the shortages during the 2024/2025 financial year.

 “The majority of those trained were medical officers, nurses, pharmacists, radiologists, dentists and a few support staff,” he said. He further revealed that the training component was audited and the findings showed that the training was not properly prioritised in alignment with the approved budget, resulting in the over-expenditure and the audit report may be made available to the Finance and Estimates Committee. 

The minister also raised concerns about the effectiveness of internal oversight structures, particularly Ministerial Audit Committees (MACs), which were meant to provide independent oversight and advise on corrective measures for prudent management of public resources. 

Mr Mmolotsi pointed out major weaknesses in the MACs, including failure to convene for periods exceeding nine months in some cases, which had perpetuated non-compliance and a weak control environment.  Additionally, he said the committees were often constituted by internal officers and presided over by accounting officers, compromising their independence and objectivity as they effectively act as both judge and jury. To address the lapses, he said the ministry of Finance was introducing stringent measures, including an ongoing review of the Public Finance Management Act.

 The review, he said, would prioritise strengthening assurance functions and oversight structures within Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to enhance financial governance and accountability. In his comment, Tswapong South MP, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang, welcomed government’s honesty and candor regarding the over-expenditure in the Ministry of Health. He thanked government for the assurance that such a situation would not be repeated. 

The Finance Committee chairperson, Mr Victor Phologolo, confirmed that the committee had received and approved the report with recommendations, which included demands for a detailed breakdown of the 1 397 employees trained, where they went for training and a full breakdown of the money spent. 

 “This was part of ensuring accountability, financial management and good governance,” Mr Phologolo said. He added that the committee was satisfied that the process presented to Parliament was within the parameters of the law and had to be done. 

He urged all MDAs to familiarise themselves with key legal documents, particularly Sections 117 to 124 of the Constitution, which dealt with the nation’s finances, as well as the Public Finance Act, to ensure that rules and regulations were always adhered to. ENDS