• ACTis has raised three flags for the FS DoH and placed two under monitoring.
• Appointment processes within parts of the Department may be subject to undue political influence. Conflicting allegations regarding the former HoD’s transfer, politically connected appointments, and the appointment of individuals to senior posts despite concerns about qualifications point to attempts to influence key administrative functions. The concentration of these allegations within recruitment and appointment processes is concerning – control over human resources, which enables the placement of individuals loyal to specific political networks in strategic positions, is a hallmark of state capture. These dynamics appear to reflect influence from the Premier of the Free State’s office.
• Weak financial controls, lack of whistleblower support, persistent audit qualifications and repeated governance failures indicate a system in which oversight and consequence management are not effectively addressing misconduct, creating conditions that enable entrenched influence over procurement and administrative processes.
• Maladministration at FS DoH has undermined its ability to provide public healthcare, with reports of dilapidated hospital infrastructure and equipment, severe staff shortages, and rising medico-legal claims.