Medical aid watchdog wants action over chief

The head of the government body that regulates the R113-billion medical aid industry has yet to be suspended after being accused of taking a R3-million bribe.

A Council for Medical Schemes insider said the body was surprised that the health minister had not suspended registrar Monwabisi Gantsho, despite the council recommending that he do so.

Gantsho was accused in court papers in February of asking for a R3-million bribe from the former curator of medical aid scheme Medshield, lawyer Themba Langa said.

Gantsho has called the allegation "scurrilous".

The Council for Medical Schemes is a statutory body that regulates the medical aid schemes.

"As the custodian of an industry that collects R113-billion a year from the public, it is of the utmost importance that the regulator be beyond reproach," said Humphrey Zokufa, director of the Board of Health Care Funders, an industry organisation.

This is not the first time that Gantsho has been in hot water.

In 2012, SARS obtained a judgment against him, saying he owed R817805 in tax.

Health Minster Aaron Motsoaledi said a fortnight ago that he intended to suspend Gantsho but has yet to do so.

Gantsho is still communicating with staff at the council and has said he wants to return to work. He has just returned from representing the council overseas and is on leave at the request of the council.

Motsoaledi's spokesman, Joe Maila, said: "The minister is still applying his mind to determine the course of action."

A council insider said the organisation had supplied all the information needed by Motsoaledi to make a decision on what to do about Gantsho.

In 2012, the regulator's senior managers were so unhappy with their registrar that they ordered a forensic investigation of his activities by law firm Bell Dewar.

The investigation found that Gantsho had appointed friends to manage three medical aid schemes that had been placed under curatorship, ignoring the recommendations of teams set up to choose curators.

The Bell Dewar investigation found that Gantsho had "alienated senior management, abused his position and breached the Medical Schemes Act".

Bell Dewar recommended in 2012 that Motsoaledi take disciplinary action against Gantsho.

The council is again waiting for Motsoaledi to take the promised disciplinary action.

The council refused to comment.