Statement By By Social Justice Alliance RSA

29 Sept 2025

No Decampaign Will Deter Nomantu: Fixing a Broken System She Did Not Create

The release of the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) interim report on corruption at Tembisa Hospital has once again thrust the institution into the national spotlight. Predictably, some voices are quick to point fingers at the current Gauteng MEC for Health, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. Yet, a sober and fair assessment reveals that much of the rot at Tembisa Hospital is not of her making—it is a legacy of years of mismanagement and questionable leadership under her predecessors.

The issues of maladministration, irregular contracts, and inflated procurement processes at Tembisa Hospital stretch back years. These systemic failures are the product of entrenched networks that were allowed to flourish long before MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko took office. To accuse her of being the architect of this crisis is not only factually incorrect but also dangerously misleading. It diverts public attention from the real question: why did previous leadership turn a blind eye to the warning signs?

When MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko assumed her role, she inherited a poisoned chalice—a health system already riddled with inefficiencies, backlogs, and reputational damage. Instead of sweeping problems under the rug, she has embraced transparency and accountability. By working alongside the SIU and other oversight bodies, she is demonstrating her commitment to breaking the cycle of corruption that has crippled Gauteng’s health services. This is a clear departure from the culture of concealment that allowed corruption to fester.

It is politically convenient for critics to scapegoat the current MEC rather than confront the uncomfortable truth: the capture of Tembisa Hospital was enabled by past administrations. Holding MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko responsible for corruption schemes she did not design is akin to blaming a firefighter for the flames when they arrive at the scene. Her role is to clean up and rebuild—and that is precisely what she is doing.

No amount of decampaign will deter the work of Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. She remains committed to restoring public confidence, rebuilding the health system, and ensuring that corruption has no safe haven under her watch. Those who attempt to discredit her are not only undermining her but also the very fight against corruption in Gauteng’s healthcare.

Accountability must be rooted in facts, not opportunistic politics. The SIU’s findings must be used to hold the actual perpetrators responsible, not to undermine those tasked with fixing the mess. MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko deserves support, not vilification. She has shown readiness to confront corruption head-on, a stance that should be encouraged if Gauteng’s healthcare system is to be restored to credibility and functionality.

By Social Justice Alliance RSA