The NHLS governance crisis has prompted Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to appoint three senior figures to address deteriorating oversight and financial management. The intervention follows missed deadlines for the National Health Laboratory Service’s 2025/26 financial statements and annual report. Meanwhile, provincial health departments owe the organisation R10.6 billion, threatening its financial sustainability. The NHLS provides almost all diagnostic testing for…
Tag: Aaron Motsoaledi
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Mogalakwena Hospital Court Case Challenges Inspection Refusal
Mogalakwena Health has launched urgent proceedings in the High Court. This follows after a newly built R165 million private hospital in Mokopane was prevented from opening. The company has cited Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, acting National Health Department director-general Nicholas Crisp and Limpopo health authorities as respondents. Its application was filed in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Mogalakwena Health…
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SA’s Ebola Preparedness Rises As DRC Outbreak Grows
SA’s Ebola preparedness has intensified as health authorities monitor the rapidly expanding Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said authorities designated 36 hospitals to receive and manage patients if an imported Ebola case occurs. The facilities include 24 public hospitals and 12 private hospitals. Three specialist committees are also coordinating readiness…
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Nicholas Crisp’s NHI Departure Raises Leadership Concerns
Nicholas Crisp, a key figure behind South Africa’s National Health Insurance programme, is preparing to leave the National Health Department. Crisp heads the NHI programme and serves as acting director-general of health. He said he would leave government service after September 2026. The Cabinet previously allowed him to remain in his position for another two years. This extended his service…
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Charlotte Maxeke Hospital Repairs Slated For August Completion
The long-running reconstruction project at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital is finally nearing completion. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced that the core repair work is expected to wrap up in August. This milestone comes more than five years after a devastating fire crippled key sections of the vital facility. Minister Motsoaledi visited the site yesterday to inspect the progress. He…
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Medical Negligence Claims Drop – But Billions Still At Stake
Payouts by provincial health departments for medical negligence have fallen significantly in recent years. Yet the financial burden on the public health system remains enormous. A landmark court ruling has also closed the door on one proposed solution. According to National Treasury figures, negligence payouts dropped from R1.8 billion in 2019/20 to R1.5 billion in 2023/24. Health Minister Dr Aaron…
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NHI Constitutional Court Challenge: Key Issues Unpacked
South Africa’s National Health Insurance (NHI) project is heading into a critical legal test. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to argue before the Constitutional Court that the NHI is a necessary step to address deep inequality in access to healthcare inherited from apartheid. The case focuses on whether Parliament followed a constitutionally sound public participation process when passing the NHI…
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One Health Summit Signals Renewed French Support for SA
France has sent a clear diplomatic signal to South Africa through health diplomacy. President Emmanuel Macron invited a South African delegation to the recent One Health Summit in Lyon. The move follows uncertainty after reports that South Africa was disinvited from attending the G7 meeting scheduled for June in Évian-les-Bains, Haute-Savoie. South Africa’s Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, attended alongside business…
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Health Department Suspensions Follow Senior Official’s Arrests
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has officially confirmed several suspensions at the Health Department. This follows the recent arrests of high-ranking officials. The charges involve alleged fraud and theft. Motsoaledi placed Director-General Sandile Buthelezi and two other senior figures on precautionary suspension. This move follows their court appearance last week. The suspensions aim to protect the integrity of the department. They…
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National Health Insurance Negotiations: SAMA Seeks NHI Talks
South Africa’s largest doctors’ organisation, the South African Medical Association (SAMA), is preparing for fresh talks with Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on the future shape of National Health Insurance (NHI). The move follows a public push by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana for organisations challenging the NHI Act to consider negotiating a settlement, rather than prolonging court battles. SAMA is one…
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NHI Truce Talks: Godongwana Pushes Settlement On NHI
South Africa’s National Health Insurance (NHI) debate may finally be shifting from courtroom combat to negotiation. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has called for the parties litigating against the NHI Act to declare a truce and work towards a settlement. The message is simple. Years of fighting over the policy have drained attention from the daily job of fixing a strained…