Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae has defended the appointment of a convicted fraudster as CEO of a provincial public hospital, arguing that former Mangaung speaker Zongezile Adam Zumane was already employed in the health department long before her tenure as premier began. Zumane, who was convicted of fraud and money laundering in 2012, was appointed CEO of Sinorita Nhlabathi Hospital in Ladybrand in July last year, a position that requires him to manage public funds, among others.
According to Letsoha-Mathae, Zumane’s appointment cannot be squarely placed at her door because Zumane has been managing Winburg Clinic since his release from jail in 2015.
“… you are only selective in questioning. Why was it not an issue when Zumane was employed at the clinic in Winburg? Zumane had been employed in government at the clinic, and this was before I was appointed Free State premier,” Letsoha-Mathae told Sunday World.
When probed further, the Free State premier accused the Sunday World of targeting her.
“Why do you now see that Zumane has been appointed to the government?” You are doing this because I am your target, and this thing of your reporting about me will one day catch up with you.
“Why don’t you start from the time your bros were premiers to find out how Zumane got to the health department after he was released from jail? I don’t like to fight with journalists, but I have when people turn me into their project.”
In 2012, Zumane and six others were found guilty of fraud and money laundering after more than R170-million was looted. Zumane was convicted of defrauding the municipality of R5-million and received an 8-year prison sentence in 2012. However, he spent only three years at Grootvlei Prison in Bloemfontein and was then released on parole.
Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said while such appointments were decided by provinces, it was morally and ethically wrong to appoint a convicted person to a position of influence in the healthcare system.
He said he was not aware of the appointment and promised to take it up with Free State Health MEC Viceroy Mahlatsi. Once briefed, Motsoaledi then relayed Mahlatsi’s response that Zumane was appointed on the basis that his criminal record was expunged.
However, Motsoaledi was scathing, saying the premier and MEC ought to address the matter. “The MEC told me that the criminal record of the person who was appointed CEO was expunged. However, I was not going to get such a person appointed based on his criminal record. It is morally and ethically wrong to have such a person employed in such an influential and senior position in healthcare.
“It is an administration issue that needs the MEC and the premier of Free State to address. Human resources matters for provinces are the responsibility of provincial departments, not the national department, so my department is not involved,” said Motsoaledi.
Sunday World then approached Nkadimeng Makhoali, the provincial health department human resources official at Bophelo House in Bloemfontein, who chaired the panel that interviewed Zumane, to explain how the convicted fraudster was appointed.
“You know that I don’t know you, and I would appreciate it if you could come to our offices so that we can address your enquiry. Our communications department will respond,” she said.
Sunday World was tipped off by inmates and prison warders at Grootvlei, who expressed shock that Zumane was now in the employ of the health department in such a top position.
“We were all incarcerated at Grootvlei, and Zongezile disappeared from prison three years after being sentenced. We thought he was transferred to another prison, but we were shocked when we learned that he was the CEO of Sinorita Nhlabathi Hospital despite him being a fraudster,” a prisoner said.
When called, Zumane said, “Go and speak to those who appointed me.”
When pressed to comment, he said, “Should I starve because I have a criminal record? Speak to those people at Bophelo House. I don’t have anything else to say.”
Free State Health Department promised to comment, but at the time of going to print, the response was never sent.
Please fire the cadres who have got the fraudster out of prison and the premier who have known about his appointment. Fraudsters are employed secretively in different positions in different areas where citizens don’t know where they came from. The cadres are involved in this mechanics.
ANC is a mafia organisation.
What else can you expect from ANC cadres.
ANC come first and their coffers need to be topped up – what better way than an experienced frauster
University graduates are stting at home unemployed whilst convicted criminals get parole and are immediately parachuted into government jobs by their corrupt ANC cronies. South Africans please let us vote this rubbish out of power.