Latest news with #Nkomo-Ralehoko
IOL News
24-07-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Gauteng MEC calls on municipal workers to fight corruption and improve service delivery
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, has urged civil servants belonging to the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) to help defend the gains of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Media Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, has urged civil servants belonging to the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) to help defend the gains of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). He said the NDR was gained through hard work between the ANC and its alliance partners, which was won under difficult circumstances to bring an end to apartheid over three decades ago. She also urged workers to remain firm against corruption and maladministration, which has rocked most of the country's municipalities in recent times. Just this week, Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke highlighted this alarming reality of irregular expenditure within the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), which revealed that the municipality was leading the nation in this regard, with contracts exceeding R1 billion awarded to contractors with connections to officials. Nkomo-Ralehoko was speaking during her address to the Gauteng delegates who will be electing new leaders to represent the union in the province. The congress, which kicked off on Wednesday and wraps up on Friday under the theme: 'Towards 40 years of defending and advancing the interests of municipal workers' at the Birchwood Hotel, will announce its new provincial structures amid a series of challenges facing revenue collection and maladministration. "Our enemy is not the workers but corruption and maladministration, theft, and unethical leadership. We are not going to function as the government if you are not assisting us. That is the personal responsibility we must take so that we can deliver services to our people. The collapse of service delivery in municipalities must be a thing of the past, comrades," she stated. On the issues, municipal workers have with the City of Joburg Mayor, Dada Morero, Nkomo-Ralehoko, promised to help mediate some of the challenges between the two parties. The issues stem from SAMWU having accused Morero of protecting corruption-accused Helen Botes, the acting chief operating officer of the city, who served as the CEO of Johannesburg Property Company for over 15 years and was not charged for any of the allegations lodged against her. "I am going to meet Dada Morero and try to initiate a meeting between us and him. It can't be that the ANC doesn't intervene in Johannesburg. It used to be the same in Ekurhuleni, and we addressed the issues there, and we will do the same here," she said. As workers who remain at the interface and forefront of service delivery in communities, cities, and local government level, the MEC urged municipal workers to continue to be the pillars of society. "You, as municipal workers, are at the forefront of service delivery. You are the pillars that have kept the fires burning during apartheid. The same unity and commitment you have shown during that time should continue even today. We cannot then have members who do not understand the alliance and the relationship between the ANC and Cosatu," she added. [email protected]
IOL News
22-07-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Transforming healthcare: Gauteng digitises 800,000 patient files at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital
Gauteng Health MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has welcomed the digitisation of the more than 800, 000 patient files at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Acedemic Hospital on Tuesday. Image: Supplied, Gauteng Department of Health The Gauteng Department of Health MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has hailed the digitisation of more than 800,000 patient files at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) in Soweto. On Tuesday, the department hosted a media breakfast to reflect on the digitisation of these records at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, with plans to extend the process to other key healthcare facilities. Nkomo-Ralehoko underscored the transformative nature of the project, which replaces traditional paper-based medical records with a secure, efficient, and accessible digital filing system "This improves service delivery, strengthens data security, and ensures compliance with privacy standards. Beyond technology, the initiative has empowered 100 young people from local communities through skills development and employment, driving economic inclusion and ownership. These individuals will now become team leaders as the project is taken to other hospitals. Over the next 36 months, we're digitising at least 800 million patient records across all 37 Gauteng hospitals," she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The project benefited from a partnership between the department and the Mintgroup as a way to roll out the program to hospitals such as Thelle Mogoerane, Tembisa Tertiary, Steve Biko Academic, Sebokeng, and the Tambo Memorial hospitals. The milestone, which was noted during a media breakfast hosted at CHBAH, forms part of a bold digital transformation drive to improve efficiency, patient care, and system accountability across 37 public hospitals in the province. Nkomo-Ralehoko said this was a great milestone for the province of Gauteng and all its patients who will benefit from an efficient file management system.. "This milestone for the 800,000 patient files here at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital Academic Hospital is part of a pilot project as it lays the foundation for upscaling the initiative to other hospitals. This is not just a typical achievement. It is a leap forward in restoring the dignity of patients in improving the desirability of the public healthcare system," she stated. The MEC indicated that the department intends to integrate these records into the broader Health Information System (HIS) and expanding supporting technologies such as Queue Management Systems and Radiology Image Archiving (PACS). "These innovations further enhance patient flow, reduce overcrowding and improve the overall service turnaround times. The digitised files representing more than 42 million pages are now stored in a secure cloud environment, accessible to authorised healthcare professionals," she added.
The Citizen
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Boards ensure public hospitals remain accountable and transparent
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu NkomoRalehoko, on July 11 welcomed and inducted newly appointed hospital board members who will serve at 34 hospitals across the province. The induction ceremony marked an important milestone in strengthening community representation in hospital governance. The nomination process received overwhelming interest, with over 1 500 applications submitted from professionals and community leaders eager to contribute their skills and time. Speaking at the welcoming ceremony, Nkomo-Ralehoko praised the public's commitment. 'The overwhelming number of applications shows that our people are ready to partner with us to improve healthcare. It is a powerful sign of active citizenship and gives us hope for the future, especially as we march towards implementing the National Health Insurance,' she said. She also reminded the new members of their important mandate, stating, 'Premier Lesufi has been clear that poor service at hospitals and clinics is one of Gauteng's 13 problems. From today, this problem becomes your problem too. You are our partners in restoring dignity, trust, and excellence in our facilities.' Newly appointed board member Yamkela Rini, who serves on the board of Tara H. Moross Hospital, expressed his excitement to serve. 'Our role is not for financial benefit, but to ensure good governance, proper service delivery, and high standards of care within our hospitals. One of the key issues raised was the growing number of litigations. We want to help the Department of Health and hospital management address this through improved quality, better services, and ensuring proper infrastructure and resources are in place across our healthcare facilities.' The new boards will play a key role in supporting hospital management, improving governance, and ensuring that services remain patient-centred and community focused, thus affirming the Gauteng Department of Health's commitment to transforming healthcare and rebuilding public trust. The new term commenced on July 1 and runs until March 2028. Overall, 222 board members are serving in various facilities. With strong community representation and renewed energy, the new hospital boards are expected to help drive improvements in service delivery and strengthen the province's public healthcare system for all. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
16-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Gauteng health gets R67bn to rescue public health
New hospitals, surgical backlogs, and expanded mental health services headline the 2025-26 Gauteng health budget. The Gauteng Department of Health has been allocated a R67 billion budget for the 2025-26 financial year to improve service delivery, strengthen infrastructure, and address pressing health needs across the province. Gauteng MEC for health and wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, presented the department's post-budget speech media briefing at the provincial legislature on Tuesday. 'This budget affirms our commitment to strengthen services, improve infrastructure, and address priority health needs across the province,' said Nkomo-Ralehoko. Infrastructure, digital expansion, and forensics According to Nkomo-Ralehoko, R1.7 billion has been earmarked for hospital maintenance and new capital projects. Of this, R100 million will go toward upgrading laundry services and operating theatres, with refurbishments already underway at Carletonville and Bheki Mlangeni hospitals. '[Projects include] the Daveyton new hospital, Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital with 287 new mental health beds, and the upgrading of Johan Heyns Community Health Centre into a district hospital to meet the needs of the community,' she added. The department is scaling up its hospital digitisation programme at Chris Hani Baragwanath to 36 more facilities 'This project is a catalyst for skill transfer for 100 young people in the local communities, bringing economic opportunity and community ownership.' Forensic Pathology Services will implement biometric tagging and fingerprint integration for enhanced traceability. Two LowDox machines, valued at R14 million, will enhance non-invasive forensic diagnostics. ALSO READ: Gauteng health MEC warns against denying foreign nationals health care access Mental health, maternal care and human resources A total of R484.1 million is allocated for mental health services this year, increasing to R1.4 billion over the medium term. 'We added 400 long-term care beds, bringing total capacity to 1 930 and expanded occupational therapy and psychosocial rehabilitation services at Tara Hospital,' the MEC stated. Primary Health Care receives R38.4 billion, with maternal and child health prioritised to reduce preventable maternal and perinatal deaths. To address staffing shortages, the department is investing in nurse training. 'We have prioritised the training of nurses in our colleges, 500 professional nurses, 200 midwifery undergraduates, and 90 postgrads in midwifery will be trained by December. 'Given our resource constraints, we will fill all critical posts in a phased-in manner,' said Nkomo-Ralehoko. ALSO READ: 'Remedial work at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital on track,' says Gauteng Health Surgical backlog, HIV and TB programmes According to the MEC, a major innovation this year is the Treatment Time Guarantee (TTG), which will provide patients with a timeline for their surgical procedures during their first booking. In honour of Mandela Day, observed on 18 July, clinical teams will perform around 1 000 surgeries on cataracts, prostate cancer, cleft palates, and colostomy reversals. In the fight against HIV and TB, R5.4 billion is budgeted. Currently, 95% of people living with HIV know their status, and 76% of those are on treatment. In addition, the department aims to re-engage more than 326 000 people in treatment and test 900 000 for TB by December. ALSO READ: New board members across Gauteng hospitals Cost management and looking ahead Efforts to reduce medico-legal claims have seen contingent liabilities drop from R24.7 billion in 2019-20 to R7.2 billion in 2024/25. 'We are shifting focus from paying for errors to preventing them,' said the MEC. Concluding her address, Nkomo-Ralehoko emphasised accountability and impact. 'This budget is for impact and delivery… to ensure dignity and care remain central to our service.' NOW READ: Gauteng Health dismisses linen shortage claims at Bheki Mlangeni Hospital
The South African
16-07-2025
- Health
- The South African
'We can't be xenophobic': Health MEC says illegal foreigners pay for services
The MEC for Health in Gauteng, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, says that contrary to popular belief, illegal foreigners do pay in local hospitals. This comes after videos and images of individuals and groups against illegal immigration turning away foreigners in clinics and hospitals, especially in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, have been circulating on social media in recent weeks. Anti-illegal immigration groups, such as March and March and Operation Dudula, who have been at the forefront of mobilising citizens to block undocumented immigrants in healthcare institutions, have argued that South Africans should be put first. The groups also say that illegal foreigners are a burden to taxpayers and that the immigrants should pay for the services they access, just like how any other person pays for health insurance when in a foreign country. On Wednesday, 16 July, Nkomo-Ralehoko told TV news channel Newzroom Afrika that it is painful that people are being blocked from accessing healthcare services, and she does not agree with it. Nkomo-Ralehoko said the constitution does not allow for illegal foreigners to be turned away when they are not well. 'I don't agree with it, and it's a painful story, but unfortunately, people feel that we're not supposed to do that, and my worry is if that person dies at the gate, I should stand there and clarify to the citizens. What will I say if a heavily pregnant woman was denied access to the institution and that child, including the woman, died? 'I have to explain to the citizens, it doesn't matter whether that person is a Malawian or Zimbabwean, when the person gets in there not well, that person must be treated. My head is the only one that is going to be on the block,' she said. In August 2022 violence flared up outside the Kalafong Tertiary Provincial Hospital between anti-illegal immigrants group Operation Dudula members and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from Gauteng. Operation Dudula members had been picketing outside the hospital and had been preventing immigrants from accessing health services, insisting they should be properly documented and should pay for the services. Then Minister of Health Joe Phaahla said that they will consult with embassies to find out if they can foot the bill for immigrants from neighbouring countries who access health services from public hospitals in South Africa. 'We will consult with embassies to see if there is a need for refunding or there could be some compensation,' he said at the time. During her interview with Newzroom Afrika on Wednesday, Nkomo-Ralehoko emphasised the importance of agreements between South Africa and other countries around how to deal with the pressure on the public healthcare system. 'Yes, we do have those agreements…some of those agreements, the countries are paying, but the individuals that come on their own accord in the hospitals, they do pay too. There's this notion that everybody who gets there who comes from foreign countries is not paying. It's not true, not everyone is not paying,' she explained. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
