As Gauteng’s struggling public hospitals cry out for solutions amid overcrowding and corruption, a different kind of appointment has taken center stage—one that’s left many South Africans with more questions than answers.
In what is now being called a "gravy train moment," eight members of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) have reportedly landed themselves lucrative positions on the boards of various public hospitals across the province—earning up to R10,000 per meeting.
What’s drawing public outrage isn’t just the hefty payouts—it’s the lack of healthcare expertise among the newly appointed members. Most of them, critics argue, are political deployees with zero background in health management, chosen more for their ANC loyalty than their qualifications.
An anonymous ANCYL insider allegedly told The Sunday Times that “comrades were encouraged to apply”, with promises that the party would “lobby” for their appointments. Ziyanda Ncuru, the Gauteng youth league deputy secretary, even posted proudly, saying “Young lions have received their share.”
Other names on the list include Masabata Ramollo, Jennifer Latifi, Thabo Matome Twayise, Khumo Thandeka, Vuyisile Plaatjie, Ashley Mabasa, and Onkgopotse Thompson-Peete—most of whom hold key positions within the ANCYL or ANC Provincial Executive Committees.
But while the appointments are being celebrated in ANC Youth League circles, the public and opposition parties are far less amused.
Dr Jack Bloom of the DA didn’t hold back:
“These are outrageous gravy train appointments that will not help our struggling public hospitals. Hospital boards need real expertise, not political buddies.”
He added that this kind of cadre deployment is becoming a trend, drawing parallels with Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabana’s alleged attempt to stuff Seta boards with ANC loyalists—a matter for which she’s expected to be grilled by the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education on July 22.
The Democratic Alliance has since demanded accountability from Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, calling her leadership into question once again. Just recently, a court ruled that her department’s failure to provide cancer treatment was unconstitutional—a judgement that already weakened her position.
“The DA will be asking hard questions in the Gauteng Legislature,” said Bloom. “This is not just about bad appointments. It’s about lives.”
The debate has triggered national concern about the politicization of public institutions and the potential collapse of health services under poorly equipped leadership.
ANC has yet to issue a detailed response to the backlash, but the appointments seem to have widened the gap between party loyalty and public accountability.
Meanwhile, ordinary citizens continue to queue in overcrowded hospitals, waiting for real change—not just recycled faces.
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Tags: ANC, ANCYL, Gauteng Hospitals, Cadre Deployment, R10K Meetings, Health MEC, Jack Bloom, Hospital Crisis South Africa
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