Gauteng Health Opens Probe Into Alleged Bribery and Queue-Jumping

Gauteng Health has begun investigating complaints that some patients may be paying officials to bypass queues at public hospitals and clinics. The allegations concern preferential access to appointments, patient files and pharmacy medicine collection, but no official, patient or facility has been identified and no wrongdoing has been established. Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the claims were serious enough for their credibility to be examined. The department told patients to report incidents through a facility chief executive or quality-assurance office and said soliciting or accepting benefits for preferential official treatment could constitute corruption under South African law.