The shortage of medicine in Limpopo clinics and hospitals is a result of poor planning, health MEC Norman Mabasa said on Monday.
He said the pharmaceutical depot management had failed to buy the medication which was most needed.
A weekend newspaper reported that clinics and hospitals were on the verge of collapse and that patients being turned away without medication.
Although there was a shortage, the depot still had a lot of stock of medications which were rarely prescribed to patients, Mabasa said.
The Limpopo Democratic Alliance blamed the irregular awarding of pharmaceutical contracts and mismanagement at the depot.
"There are serious allegations that there is a collusion between private pharmacists and the officials at this depot to exchange drugs that are about to expire with the correct date of use-by," said DA Limpopo chairwoman Desiree Van Der Walt.
"The MEC must urgently intervene to ensure that our province has adequate and uninterrupted supply of medicine. He must also launch a forensic investigation."
Van Der Walt said the problem started 15 years ago when distribution of medicine was outsourced to a private service provider.
