Dr Kgosi Letlape, ActionSA MP and member of the Portfolio Committee on Health says he is preparing to report the alleged appointment of eight Gauteng ANC Youth League leaders to hospital boards to the committee after the parliament recess.
Letlape told Sunday World that in the meantime, they will engage with their colleagues in Gauteng to take the matter up at the legislature and hold provincial Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko accountable.
He said the department should explain the due process followed for the appointments, the duration of the advertisement, and the requirements.
“It should be understood that proven records of community development do not mean political activity. This is involvement with non-governmental organisations, and other matters of the community that assist with upliftment. Political activity is not community development,” said Letlape.
“Our hospitals are struggling. So, when we speak of expertise, we mean exactly that because we do not want some people who registered an NGO but have no track record … but somehow managed to get into a board member role,” said Letlape.
Nkabane 2.0
DA MPL and shadow health MEC, Jack Bloom, said they will also take the matter to the legislature and ask that Nkomo-Ralehoko appear before the Health Oversight Committee.
Bloom believes that there are more ANC members appointed into hospital boards than those already revealed.
“This cronyism looks like what [axed] Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane did when trying to appoint ANC cadres as chairs of Seta boards. It adds to a long list of reasons why the DA has been calling for the Health MEC to be fired, including a court judgement that her department’s failure to provide cancer treatment was unlawful and unconstitutional,” said Bloom.
According to the Gauteng Department of Health, the requirements include skills in law, finance, governance, ICT, human resources, medicine, or a proven track record in helping communities.
Motalatale Modiba, departmental spokesperson, said political connections were never a requirement and were not taken into account at any point.
He highlighted that the call for nominations was made public and open to all South Africans who met the National Health Act of 2003 requirements and the Hospital Ordinance Act of 1999.
Modiba said 1 500 applications were received and 222 people were appointed as board members at various health facilities across South Africa.
“Hospital boards include both experienced members for continuity and new appointees, ensuring a fair representation of youth and women. Skills range from medical and legal professionals to finance, SCM, and ICT experts, including community representatives. All appointments commenced on 1 July 2025 and run until March 2028.
“The Department rejects in the strongest possible terms any insinuation that political connections influenced these appointments. Such claims are not only baseless but insulting to the more than 200 highly qualified professionals who have volunteered to serve their communities in a role that is not remunerative,” said Modiba.
