South Africa’s Gauteng Premier David Makhura has appointed Nomathemba Mokgethi as the province’s new health minister, the premier announced on Wednesday.
Mokgethi replaces scandal-tainted Bandile Masuku who has been removed from his post for being involved in a multi-million-dollar controversial personal protective equipment (PPE) tender.
South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit, during a probe of the tender allegations, said Masuku had failed to provide sufficient oversight which led to irregular and wasteful expenditure in securing the PPEs for Gauteng at the start of the coronavirus pandemic which has killed nearly 22,000 people since March.
Prior to her appointment to the health portfolio, Mokgethi served as Social Development Minister for the country’s most industrialised province which is home to Johannesburg and its rich gold mines.
Makhura said he had also appointed former Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau as his new Regional Economic Development Minister.
Tau resigned from his post as Deputy Minister in the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in the national government to take up the regional appointment, APA has learnt.
NM/jn/APA