HOSPERSA ELECTS NEW LEADERSHIP IN CORRUPT RIDDEN NORTH WEST PROVINCE
Hospersa in the North West (NW) Province elected new Provincial Office Bearers at its Provincial congress on 7 and 8 March 2018. The Union has been very vocal about corruption and maladministration in the NW Department of Health and has called for all implicated senior officials to be brought to book.
Hospersa in the NW Province held a two day provincial congress last week and elected new Provincial Office Bearers. The new office bearers will remain in office for a period of five years, carrying the union’s flag in the province especially in the Union’s fight for an end to corruption and maladministration as well as improved working conditions of its members.
The following portfolios were filled as follows: Mzukisi Jam (Provincial Chairperson), Ben Mageza (Provincial Vice-Chairperson – Structures and Recruitment), Thandi Mogakabe (Provincial Vice-Chairperson – HIV/Aids and Gender), Lindiwe Matsipe (Provincial Vice-Chairperson – Education and Training) and Tselane Mbotshane (Provincial Treasurer).
“We congratulate the newly elected leaders in the NW province,” said Hospersa General Secretary, Noel Desfontaines. “The new leaders will look to take aim at some of the thorny issues faced by our members in the province which includes staff shortages, poor working conditions as well as corruption and maladministration,” said Desfontaines.
The province has been the subject of a number of irregular contracts awarded by senior officials whereby the NW Premier, the Finance Member of the Executive Council (MEC) and the Health Head of Department (HOD) are implicated on a string of dodgy dealings. The most recent of these dealings is a multimillion rand contract awarded to an Information Technology (IT) company for technology upgrades in the province. South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Hawks, raided the Premier’s office last week for his connection to the alleged irregular contracts. Meanwhile, the NW Health and Social Development Portfolio committee has laid charges against the Premier following the allegations of corruption and mismanagement of public funds.
“We welcome these developments in the NW province,” said Desfontaines. “The winds of change are certainly blowing in the right direction and it seems the abuse of the public purse by senior officials is coming to an end,” added Desfontaines.
“We commend our members for their contribution in calling for clean governance to be restored in government departments, especially in the Department of Health. Our newly elected provincial leaders will do well in continuing the excellent work of highlighting any abuse of power by public officials as well as raising alarm bells on any unlawful contracts to ensure the full might of the law is duly excercised,” concluded Desfontaines.