MAHLANGU WRONG CHOICE FOR GAUTENG HEALTH

Premier David Makhura has done a disservice to the Gauteng Health Department by dropping Hope Papo and reinstating Qedani Mahlangu as Health MEC.

Papo was making progress in fixing this troubled department, unlike Mahlangu when she was Health MEC three years ago.

Mahlangu added to the troubles in Gauteng hospitals by her poor stewardship of the Infrastructure Development Department, which failed to maintain hospital equipment.

Most seriously, this included generators that have failed four times this year at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.

Lifts are still broken at the Helen Joseph and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

I suspect Papo was dropped because he was too effective in tackling corruption and entrenched interests.

The ANC's internal politics are once again trumping merit to the detriment of the health needs of this province.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesman, May 25 2014

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