Western Cape Hospital Boards and Clinic Committees Nominations: discussion

Meeting report

The Chairperson said the purpose of the meeting was to deliberate on the nomination of Members of Parliament who would like to serve on the boards of hospitals.

Ms Nomonde Jamce, Committee Procedural Officer, indicated the Committee had received six submissions from Members of Parliament. There were 22 vacancies, and Members were taken through a list of the hospitals which had vacancies. She said the following Members expressed an interest:

1. Ms W Philander (DA) – Paarl Hospital Board
2. Ms R Windvogel (ANC) – Swellendam Hospital Board
3. Mr G Bosman (DA) – Ladismith Hospital Board
4. Ms L Botha (DA) – Citrusdal/Bergrivier Hospital Boards
5. Ms A Bans (ANC) -- Beaufort West Hospital Board
6. Mr R Mackenzie (DA) – Mitchells Plain Hospital Board/WCRS

Ms N Bakubaku-Vos (ANC) said she had made a submission, and would like to serve on the boards of Klapmuts Clinic, Khayelitsha Hospital and Stellenbosch Hospital.

Mr R Allen (DA) said he had also forwarded his submission, and was nominating himself for the following hospitals: Western Cape Rehabilitation Centre (WCRC), Alexandra, Karl Bremer and Khayelitsha. He asked if Members could serve only on the boards of hospitals that were on the list, and if one could also nominate oneself for a hospital that was not listed and serve when a vacancy existed.

Mr Bosman wanted to know if Members were allowed to nominate only provincial MPs, or other public representatives like councilors who were working in these constituencies. Could a provincial MP serve on more than one board?

Adv Romeo Maasdorp, Parliamentary Legal Advisor, referred to the forwarding of names for which there were no vacancies, and pointed out that the appointment of MPs to the boards was at the discretion of the Minister according, to the Act. The process was initiated by the Minister -- the Committee only reacts to the Minister’s invitation. The nominated Members must not necessarily be a member of the Health Committee. The Committee could nominate names in anticipation of future, potential vacancies. There were many variables and intervening circumstances that may nullify those names. He made it clear there was no prohibition to sending names through, but it may be an exercise in futility because of changing intervening circumstances. It was better to react to the Minister’s invitation for nomination so that at a future date the Committee could forward names for nomination. He added there was no provision in the Act allowing the Committee to nominate a person outside of the provincial Parliament to serve on the boards. There was no inference or provision in the Act -- it was only the Minister who exercised her discretion.

Mr Allen said the Committee needed to consider if it would not be an exercise in futility, even if the MP was no longer there, because it was still up to the Minister’s discretion. The Committee should rather submit minuted resolutions to the Minister and be proactive in nominating Members for other hospitals not listed. He was thinking of nominating Member, Mr D Mitchell (DA), for the Beaufort West area.

Mr Bosman proposed the Committee should submit the names to the Minister for appointment.

Mr Mackenzie supported Mr Bosman.

Ms Bans said it was also important that provincial MPs be incorporated in the names of hospital boards that were not reflected on the list, especially those who had an interest to serve.

Adv Maasdorp said the Act did not provide for additional members on boards.

The Committee then agreed to submit all the names received to the Minister of Health so that she could apply her discretion according to the Act in the appointment of nominations. These would be the names of Members that would be submitted to the Minister:

1. Ms Philander – Paarl Hospital
2. Ms Windvogel – Swellendam Hospital
3. Mr Bosman – Ladysmith
4. Ms Botha – Citrusdal / Bergrivier Hospital
5. Ms Bans – Beaufort West Hopsital
6. Mr Mackenzie – Mitchells Plain Hospital and WCRC
7. Mr Allen – WCRC, Alexandra, and Karl Bremer
8. Ms Bakubaku-Vos – Stellenbosh and Khayelitsha Hospitals, and Klapmuts Clinic

Adoption of minutes

The Chairperson proposed the adoption of the minutes of 12 May 2021.

Mr Allen seconded the proposal.

The minutes were adopted with no amendments.

The meeting was adjourned.