The Democratic Alliance (DA) has renewed its call for the dismissal of Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, accusing her of defending a former senior official facing serious allegations and of downplaying overcrowding in public hospitals.
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, Dr Jack Bloom, says the MEC’s defence of former Gauteng Health head of department (HOD) Lesiba Malotana reflects poor leadership and a lack of accountability within the department.
Bloom was responding to remarks made by Nkomo-Ralehoko in an interview with the Sunday Times, where she described Malotana as “the best the department had ever had” and claimed he had been victimised and unfairly targeted. The MEC also said she had confidence in Malotana, crediting him with assisting in efforts to stabilise the department.
Malotana was appointed as Gauteng Health HOD in 2019 and served during a period marked by ongoing governance challenges, financial strain, and allegations of corruption within the provincial health system. His tenure came under scrutiny following multiple investigations into procurement, financial management, and senior appointments within the department.
In 2024, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) conducted a lifestyle audit into Malotana’s financial affairs, identifying more than R1.6 million in unexplained cash deposits. The SIU recommended that a forensic investigation be instituted to further probe the source of the funds. Malotana was subsequently suspended, but disciplinary charges were not finalised within the required 60-day period. As a result, his suspension lapsed and he was later redeployed to a senior position within the Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department.
Malotana has also been implicated in the long-running corruption allegations at Tembisa Hospital. A Public Protector report found that he recommended the appointment of Dr Ashley Mthunzi as chief executive officer in July 2021 despite discrepancies identified during the recruitment process, including inconsistencies in Mthunzi’s application and interview outcomes. The Tembisa Hospital matter involves allegations of procurement irregularities amounting to approximately R2 billion.
Despite these findings, Malotana has not faced formal disciplinary action related to the Tembisa Hospital appointments or procurement processes. He was also not sanctioned in connection with the personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement scandals during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though he served on the committee that approved the contracts.
The DA further alleges that Malotana’s leadership contributed to service delivery failures within the department, including the underutilisation of R250 million allocated for radiation oncology services. According to Bloom, this resulted in significant treatment delays for cancer patients across the province.
Concerns over financial management at the Gauteng Health Department have also drawn the attention of the National Treasury, which has reportedly written to the department requesting explanations as to why it should not be placed under administration.
In the same Sunday Times interview, the MEC denied that Gauteng’s public hospitals are experiencing an overcrowding crisis, suggesting that some patients choose to sleep on the floor. Bloom rejected this assertion, saying it contradicts conditions on the ground.
He cited recent incidents at Bheki Mlangeni Hospital, where a patient reportedly spent a week in casualty before being admitted to a ward, and at Far East Rand Hospital, where an elderly woman allegedly waited overnight on a chair for medical attention.
The DA has also questioned why Nkomo-Ralehoko continued to support Malotana despite what it describes as numerous red flags, arguing that political protection may be shielding senior officials from accountability.
Bloom said Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who appointed Malotana as HOD, should be held accountable for failing to act decisively. The DA has called on the premier to remove the health MEC and appoint a replacement who acknowledges the scale of challenges facing Gauteng’s public healthcare system and takes steps to address them.
