5 days ago
Call for probe into KZN Hospital Board appointments amid exclusion of traditional leaders
Call for Transparency in KwaZulu-Natal's Hospital Board Appointments
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A formal complaint has been lodged at the office of the KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Thulasizwe Ntuli, raising concerns about the appointment process for hospital board members in KwaZulu-Natal and the alleged exclusion of Traditional Leadership from governance structures.
In a letter dated July 28, Phakamani Owen Dlamini, Ndunankulu of the Esiphahleni Community, addressed to Premier Ntuli, accuses provincial health authorities of operating a meritless, opaque process and calls for independent oversight and formal inclusion of traditional leadership in local governance.
He argued that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has not acknowledged or responded to Dlamini's inquiries about the criteria and procedures for appointing hospital board members in Richmond.
Dlamini said he was the only applicant from the institution of Traditional Leadership in his municipality's nomination process and claimed there was an absence of transparency and accountability in the appointment process.
He stated that a subsequent attempt to engage the MEC for Health, Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi, yielded no constructive outcome.
'The appointment of Richmond Hospital Board members appears to be influenced by political affiliations rather than a transparent or merit-based process,' Dlamini wrote in the letter, which accuses officials of failing to provide an official confirmation of the appointments.
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He cited Section 195(1)(a) and (f) of the Constitution, which obligates public administration to promote a high standard of professional ethics and accountability, and Section 212(1), which contemplates a role for traditional leadership at the local level in matters affecting local communities, along with the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, No. 3 of 2019.
Dlamini's letter contends that excluding Traditional Leaders undermines legislative intent and reflects a troubling trend of marginalizing traditional governance in KwaZulu-Natal over the past three decades.
He invokes historical figures and events tied to the region's leadership lineage, arguing that recognising the role of traditional leadership is essential to accurately reflecting community diversity and customs.
The letter outlines three requests, including an independent province-wide investigation into hospital board appointments, beginning with Richmond Hospital, to ensure merit-based, transparent, and inclusive procedures.
'A written response from the Premier's Office within 14 working days addressing the inquiries on the appointment process, in line with the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA), Act No. 3 of 2000.
'Urgent measures to ensure Traditional Leadership is formally represented on all relevant public governance structures as provided under the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act and the Constitution.'
Dlamini also revealed that he has received death threats related to his advocacy, adding he will persist in pursuing accountability, fairness, and inclusivity, including potential escalation through legal or parliamentary channels.
Attempts to obtain comment from Premier Ntuli's office were unsuccessful.
The Premier's spokesperson, Lindelani Mbatha, did not respond to questions from the publication on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Dlamini told IOL he had been contacted by someone claiming to be from Ntuli's office.
He alleged that the person said the matter was being attended to, but no official reply was received via email.
Simelane-Mngadi's office did not respond to requests for comment.
IOL sought to establish how the appointments favour individuals allegedly linked to the province's African National Congress (ANC), where Simelane Mngadi serves as one of the senior leaders in the province.
IOL Politics
