Nine out of 37 Gauteng public hospitals currently have an acting CEO as the previous CEO has either left or been suspended, this is according to a written reply by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko to a question by the DA’s Shadow Health MEC, Jack Bloom

The MEC’s response revealed that 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 last year.

Other reasons are two resignations, one retirement, an internal transfer (Rahima Moosa), and the CEOs of Tembisa and Pretoria West hospitals are currently suspended awaiting discipline.

In a statement the Democratic Alliance says it is concerning that one out of four Gauteng public hospitals have acting CEOs who have limited authority to fix a failing health system.

In the case of two hospitals, it’s been more than a year without a permanent replacement.

The recent Ombud’s report into Rahima Moosa hospital was critical of poor processes in appointing hospital CEOs.

“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,” Bloom said.