In 2014/15 the NHLS was indebt to the tune of R5 billion. It was leaking skilled staff and had a demoralised team. The service's capacity to deliver was in jeopardy and there was a leadership void. The board was dysfunctional and financial mismanagement and corruption had put the NHLS against the wall and on the verge of total collapse. In fact, Professor Francois Venter said at the time: