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The Democratic Alliance has been vindicated by the Public Protector's finding that there were irregularities in the appointment of the late Dr Ashley Mthunzi as CEO of Tembisa Hospital in July 2021.

Following my referral of this matter, the PP’s report says the Department “did not conduct all the requisite personnel suitability checks, such as the verification of financial stability, citizenship/identity screening, criminal record and personal security.”

Mthunzi was appointed as the acting CEO at Tembisa in April 2021, and was later suspended following the exposure of R1 billion fishy contracts that included forged documents and outrageous high prices. Health official Babita Deokaran was assassinated after she raised her concerns about these contracts.

It is shocking that proper checks were not done in Mthunzi’s appointment.

I suspect there was manipulation to get him this position to facilitate the massive corruption in tenders that took place.

I commend the PP’s recommendation that the Department appoint a service provider within 120 days to do personnel suitability checks on all senior officials, as well as officials in supply chain management, in line with public service regulations.

How many other bad appointments have been made because of a blatant failure to adhere to legal personnel selection requirements?

This needs to be fixed to ensure hospital patients benefit from competent and honest management.

Issued by Jack Bloom MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health