Bara Hospital security guards earning R23,000 a month sparks public outrage
A claim that security guards at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital are earning as much as R23,000 per month far above the industry norm has sparked controversy in the Gauteng Legislature.
The figure emerged during a session in which Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko revealed that the hospital’s annual security bill stands at R77 million.
The services are provided under a three-year, R232 million contract awarded to Calvin and Family Security Services, which supplies 275 staff members, including 248 Grade C security officers.
Democratic Alliance MPL Jack Bloom said the contract translates to an average monthly cost of R23,000 per guard, significantly higher than the typical R6,000 salary for Grade C officers. “This is an outrageous amount and raises serious questions about value for money,” Bloom said.
The Gauteng Department of Health defended the contract, stating that long-term deals were introduced to contain costs that previously ran up to R59 million per month across 37 hospitals and over 300 clinics.
Still, critics argue that such spending is excessive and detracts from core healthcare services. Bloom has called for an urgent review of the department’s security spending, warning that inflated contracts could be draining funds away from patient care.
