No interviews, but appointed: DA raises alarm over ANCYL members on Gauteng hospital boards

The Citizen

4 days ago

The DA says appointments to hospital boards should be seen as a public service and not a job.
The DA's Health shadow MEC for health in Gauteng, Jack Bloom, says 10 African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) members who served on various boards in the province's hospitals were not interviewed.
Bloom said this information came out during a portfolio committee meeting on Wednesday.
Speaking to The Citizen on Thursday, Bloom said the Gauteng health department has failed to respond to questions about the fairness and transparency of the appointment process of these youth leaders.
'A panel of senior officials assessed the applications without any interviews,' he said.
Bloom said there were 820 valid applications for 229 positions at 34 hospitals.
'The advertisement called for professionals with expertise in legal, finance, strategic management, information management, human resources, governance, medicine, and/or health-related backgrounds.
'Alternatively, be a member of the community served by the respective hospital with a proven record of community development and involvement.'
Board members do not receive a salary
Bloom said that while being on the board does not pay an enormous amount of money, those serving on these boards should not use these positions to make money.
'Payment is R210 per hour for a chairperson, with a maximum of R3 500 a month. The rate for an ordinary board member is R160 per hour, with a maximum of R1 900 a month,' he said.
Reasons for ANC members' appointments
Bloom said what is further shocking is that upon the induction of the new board members, there was an expectation of remuneration. There were also misunderstandings about the work the board members do.
'I pointed out to Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko that ANCYL provincial secretary Mpume Sangweni has claimed that 10 ANCYL members were appointed, saying it was important that young people occupied positions of power across all spheres of influence.
'This is an appalling motivation when the focus should be on getting competent people who can help the hospital in treating patients with dignity and care. It is highly suspicious that 10 out of 28 youth members appointed are members of the ANCYL,' he said.
Bloom said the department must provide reasons for the appointments of the ANC members to the boards.
'The department needs to provide the details of their qualifications and the reasons for their appointments, as opposed to other applicants.
'They have undertaken to come back to the committee with the required information, which hopefully allows for a proper assessment as to whether the ANCYL members received undue preference,' he said.
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Gauteng department of Health denies political interference
The Citizen had reached out to the Gauteng Department of Health for comment on the allegation made by the DA. Their comment will be added to this story when it is received.
However, in a recent media statement, the department denied that there was political interference in these board appointments.
'Such claims are not only baseless but insulting to the more than 200 highly qualified professionals who have volunteered to serve their communities in a role that is not remunerative,' said the department's spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba.
ANCYL provincial secretary in Gauteng, Mpumelelo Sangweni told The Citizen that all ANCYL members were appointed on merit and competence.
'Young people applied, and they were appointed because they met the requirements. Nowhere in the requirements did the advertisement require applicants to state their political affiliation.
'To put things into context, out of 220 hospital board members, only 10 are active ANCYL members,' he said.
Sangweni said the DA is exaggerating the appointments of ANCLY members on the various boards.
'In the same hospital boards, there are members of other political parties, the clergy and community activists. We still maintain that the baseless targeting of ANCYL members has nothing to do with the hospital boards but the imminent cabinet reshuffle by the Premier,' he said.
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