After nearly a year working in the office of Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane, provincial health boss Dr Rolene Wagner returned to her position on Tuesday, ready to treat the ailing health department.
Wagner was shunted from her position in October 2023 when Mabuyane announced she was one of four heads of department to be reassigned to the premier’s eight-member “crack team” designed to improve the provincial government’s performance.
Other officials reassigned were Mzi Mafani from transport, Andile Fani from co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) and Siphokazi Ndudane from rural development and agrarian reform.
Tabisa Poswa from human settlements reportedly asked to be released.
The four were expected to be in Mabuyane’s office for 12 months and were tasked with scaling up implementation of government commitments in a variety of fields, including investment co-ordination, support to local government and driving education and health turnaround strategies.
Khuselwa Rantjie, spokesperson for the premier’s office, confirmed Mabuyane had “de-seconded” Wagner from his office back to her position in the provincial health department, effective this week.
Rantjie said Mabuyane had re-evaluated his previous choice to move Wagner and other heads of department to form the Provincial Support Unit late in 2023.
“As part of continuously re-evaluating the effectiveness of the provincial administration, the premier had also requested Andile Fani to act as the transport department’s HoD a couple of months ago.”
The others would continue their roles in the premier’s office.
Mabuyane was not pressured by the national health department to reinstate Wagner, despite widespread reports that this was the case, Rantjie said.
“During a media briefing that followed his election as premier, Mabuyane announced that the [office of the premier] would be implementing an intervention at the Eastern Cape health department working with the provincial treasury and the national health department.
“The premier’s decision is aligned to that work.”
Wagner’s removal from the health department in 2023 led to an uproar from the medical fraternity.
A total of 129 healthcare professionals, including university heads, CEOs, scientists, medical specialists, doctors and professors, wrote to Mabuyane asking him to rescind his decision.
On Tuesday, it was back to business for Wagner as she resumed her duties more than a month ahead of the planned return on September 30.
Wagner, former Frere Hospital CEO, was appointed as health department head in July 2021.
Sindiswa Gede and Miyakazi Nokwe, who had been acting in her role, will return to their positions.
Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa welcomed Wagner’s return, saying it would go a long way to stabilise the department’s leadership.
She also thanked Mabuyane for allowing her early return.
Wagner said she was delighted to return to her duties.
“I am happy to be back at the department in the role of HoD once more.
“I am conscious of the huge responsibility that goes with my release back to health by our honourable premier.
“The challenges are structural and often experienced in the wider health sector, public and private.
“I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the messages and calls expressing delight about the premier’s decision, and also offering support to me and the department.
“I will endeavour to work with everyone — colleagues, organised labour, friends and partners.
“It may not be an easy road but it will be made easier when we walk it together.”
She said she was looking forward to implementing various plans.
“We have a strategy to turn the department around, and had started demonstrating some successes during the sixth administration.
“We need to build on those successes and accelerate critical interventions in the year ahead.”
She said some of the plans and policies ahead would be presented by the MEC in the course of the year.
“The department would like to continue to engage with the media on critical health-related matters in the months ahead, as we believe it also has a vital role to play in making our communities aware of health matters that affect them as individuals, households and communities.”
Speaking at the opening of the provincial legislature in Ntabankulu last week, Mabuyane said they were investing in the leadership of healthcare facilities to manage them efficiently and effectively.
“We are fixing the problems we had at health.
“We have a crack team at the [office of the premier] that works directly with the Treasury to ensure that the MEC and head of department can work together and fix all the issues distracting us.
“We are enhancing our electronic health records and data management systems to prevent incidents that lead to medico-legal claims.”
Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA provincial secretary Veli Sinqana welcomed Wagner’s return.
“We don’t have a problem — our only concern from the outset was the logistics.
“Our [concerns] are not about the individuals — they are about the health system and the stability within the system.
“If she is back, well and good, that might reduce the situation whereby everyone is happy.
“If you remember, everyone was acting all over [the place], she is a permanent person.
“We believe she will be able to take decisions in implementing the challenges within the department.”
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