The new Gauteng health MEC, Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, comes into office with a team of six highly experienced external health care professionals tasked with helping her turn around the fortunes of the troubled department.
Observers have suggested the team of experts would come in handy for Mokgethi given her below par performance in her previous portfolio of social development, where she did not impress.
Mokgethi now takes over a Gauteng health department that is at the centre of the province’s response to the global coronavirus pandemic.
The department has also been marred by allegations of corruption in the procurement of Covid-19 personal protective equipment which led to the axing, suspension and resignation of several senior officials.
It has been plagued for years by allegations of mismanagement and maladministration, including the Life Esidimeni tragedy of 2015.
The new MEC will now enjoy the extent of support her predecessor Bandile Masuku and those who came before him never received.
The team of professionals supporting her will focus on key areas such as Covid-19 strategies, department finances, human resources practices, management of hospitals and strategic communications.
Announcing Mokgethi’s appointment, premier David Makhura said most members of the Mokgethi task force had been recommended by health minister Zweli Mkhize, and they would be assisting her for the next six months.
The support team includes Roland Hunter, Seadimo Chaba, Prof Mphlekedzeni Mulaudzi, Dr Percy Mahlathi, Dr Nicolas Crips, Dr Zethu Qunta and Dr Keith Shongwe.
Mahlathi has experience in the health care sector and was formerly a CEO of the SA Medical Association (SAMA), and played a role in the development of the World Health Organisation’s Code of Ethics Practice on international recruitment of health personnel.
Crisp is a medical specialist who has worked in public health care in various African countries, while Mulaudzi now works in the department of paediatrics and child health at the Charlotte Maxeke hospital.
Shongwe was recently consulting for the WHO on the Covid-19 response team, and is a member of the national health insurance (NHI) ministerial advisory committee .
The new MEC would now enjoy the extent of support that Masuku and those who came before him never received.
Chaba is a human resource expert who has worked for Sasol and was previously in the Gauteng government.
Hunter has vast experience in the finance field and has had stints with Gauteng government and the City of Johannesburg.
“We have fallen back as we were dealing with Covid-19. We’ve fallen back in dealing with matters pertaining to HIV and Aids, so this team will help us focus on jacking up the entire health care system in the Gauteng province under the leadership of Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi,” Makhura said.
Makhura had previously said he would not be filling the position of MEC until Masuku’s court challenge against an SIU report that nailed him was finalised.
But the premier is now singing a different tune, saying the current state of the health department, as well as the need to respond quickly to the expected Covid-19 surge, required the new intervention measures.
He defended this about-turn by saying that court processes usually take a long time and he could not be expected to wait.
According to Makhura, this decision also comes after a report from the public service commission.
“I received a report from public service commissioner Mike Seloane after I made the decision to discharge Masuku. I received a comprehensive report that said I need to intervene. There are the areas of problems in the department of health, and I’m saying that report has also informed why we must intervene the way we have but the surge is also forcing me on how to respond.
“As you know MEC Bandile Masuku is taking the SIU report to court. I’m sure you are not suggesting that I must wait for court processes. I cannot risk ... the department of health ... by getting bogged down by those processes.”
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