DA asks why nine Gauteng hospitals are without permanent CEOs

The DA in Gauteng has raised concern about the lack of permanent CEOs at nine of 37 public hospitals in the province, which are being run by acting bosses.

MPL Jack Bloom said it was worrying that two hospitals in the province have already gone more than 12 months without a permanent CEO.

“The recent ombud’s report into Rahima Moosa Hospital was critical of poor processes in appointing hospital CEOs,” said Bloom. 

Gauteng hospitals have recently seen two resignations and one retirement, with the CEOs of Thembisa and Pretoria West hospitals on suspension.

The hospitals without permanent CEOs are:

• Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria;
• Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa;
• Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Johannesburg;
• Kopanong Hospital;
• South Rand Hospital;
• Tara Moross Hospital;
• Pretoria West Hospital;
• Thembisa Hospital; and
• Kalafong Hospital.

A month ago, a report by health ombud Malegapuru Makgoba recommended that Rahima Moosa Hospital CEO Dr Nozuko Mkabayi be fired from her post and disciplined, after complaints were laid against her for being absent from the ailing facility for most of her tenure.

The Gauteng department of health welcomed the findings and recommendations and said it would take them up.

“The department has already started actioning some of the issues recommended by the ombudsman which includes transferring the CEO [Mkabayi] out of the hospital, among others,” it said in a statement.

A report by an independent investigator probing the disruption of health services at Kalafong Hospital in November 2022 after workers called for the removal of the CEO, was submitted to all stakeholders, hence the hospital is without a permanent CEO. 

Bloom said Kopanong Hospital has been the longest without a permanent CEO since the contract of the previous CEO expired in February 2022. 

“A permanent CEO has also not been appointed at the South Rand Hospital even though the CEO’s contract expired in April 2022,” he said.

“It is essential that the best people are appointed speedily so that all hospitals have competent and honest CEOs, instead of cadre deployments whose incompetence causes suffering to patients.”

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