Dr Sandile Buthelezi announced as new Director-General for health department

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo has welcomed the appointment of Dr Sandile Buthelezi as the new Director-General for the Department of Health.

Dr Dhlomo said the appointment of Dr Buthelezi as the accounting officer for the department comes during the Covid-19 pandemic adding, “This will be a key focus as he commences his duties”.

“Dr Buthelezi is an experienced leader in health management, starting when he was superintendent of Nkandla Hospital, then at Grey’s Hospital and going on to become a chief director in the Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal on  HIV and maternal and child health programmes,” said Dr Dhlomo.

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As the chief executive officer of the South African National Aids Council (SANAC), Dr Buthelezi has more than 15 years of experience in health governance, policy and programme management. After serving as a clinician and later medical superintendent in KwaZulu-Natal and Free State hospitals, he served for 10 years as KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial head of strategic health programmes, which encompassed HIV, TB, maternal child and women’s health, nutrition and communicable diseases.

Before joining SANAC, Dr Buthelezi was the South African country director for ICAP, an HIV programme founded at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in the United States.

Dr Dhlomo said the department could not have a better leader at this time. “We are looking forward to reaping the benefit of his experience in other areas he has worked in and to take the department to greater heights. We congratulate the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize for identifying Dr Buthelezi at this stage to lead the department under these challenging circumstances.”