Dr. Sandile Buthelezi (55), director-general of the Department of Health, Phineas Phaswa Mamogale (46), chief financial officer, and Malixole Mahlathi (67), deputy director-general for tertiary health and hospital services. (Photo: Provided by the Falcons)
The MK party (MKP) is demanding urgent and comprehensive investigations into alleged corruption in the national department of health after three senior officials, including the director general, were arrested.
Maroela Media earlier reported dr. Sandile Buthelezi, director general, together with the deputy director general, dr. Malixole Mahlathi, and the chief financial officer, Phineas Phaswa Mamogale, arrested in connection with an investigation by the directorate for priority crime investigations (the Hawks).
The MKP says the arrests confirm what it has long claimed, that corruption and mismanagement are deeply rooted in the department.
“The systemic rot that we have repeatedly warned against is now a reality,” says Nhlamulo Ndhlela, national spokesperson of the MKP. “These arrests are long overdue, but they are only the tip of the iceberg.”
An investigation has reportedly found that more than R1 million was paid to a service provider in an unauthorized manner in the 2023/2024 financial year – a direct breach of the Public Financial Management Act.
It is further alleged that the director-general was involved in a tender for hospital renovations where he allegedly asked for a bribe of R500 000 from a construction company.
“It is clear that corruption, fraud and administrative lawlessness have taken root in the department that is supposed to protect the health and lives of South Africans,” says Ndhlela.
He argues that a “culture of impunity” affects not only the national department, but also provincial health departments.
The party also referred again to the handling of contracts during the covid-19 pandemic.
“Billions of rands were spent during this period with minimal transparency or oversight. We have already raised concerns about irregular awards of vaccine-related contracts, even to companies that have been liquidated. These matters have not been dealt with to this day.”
The MKP also criticized the health minister after he apparently publicly said that all processes in the department were “above suspicion”.
“Such complacency is unacceptable and further undermines the public’s trust. If the minister really believes that good governance is in place, he must prove it through actual action – not simply through rhetoric.”
The MK party says it will request the special investigation unit to get an expanded mandate to investigate all procurement processes since 2020, with a specific focus on pandemic-related contracts; requests the public protector, auditor general and national treasury to conduct parallel investigations into financial misconduct and breaches of the Public Financial Management Act; request the Minister of Health in writing to take disciplinary action against all officials involved, including suspension pending the completion of investigations; and calling on the chair of the portfolio committee on health to convene parliamentary review hearings on governance failures.
“South Africans deserve accountability. When clinics are without essential medicines and hospitals are understaffed, mismanagement and corruption have a real human cost. The health and dignity of our people must not pay the price for administrative negligence and criminal self-enrichment.”