Staff Reporter
Bloemfontein – The exposé into the appointment of Zongezile Adam Zumane as Chief Executive Officer of Senorita Nhlabathi Hospital in Ladybrand is fast becoming an “onion-peeling” moment for the Free State Provincial Government.
With every layer that is peeled back, more hidden elements are revealed and they sting.
According to Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health, Zumane’s removal was not initiated by the Free State Provincial Government out of concern for public trust.
Instead, the Minister revealed that the removal occurred after he personally asked the Premier to act.
With the appointment now a matter of national discussion, Dr Solomon Phera, the newly appointed Director-General of the Free State Provincial Government (FSPG), appeared on Newzroom Afrika where, without mincing his words, he placed the blame squarely on the recruitment panels that appointed Zumane in 2019 and again in 2025.
Phera said the panels failed to subject Zumane to proper risk and ethical assessments.
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He further stated that there must be consequence management for those responsible.
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Phera explains the four key elements that the panel missed.
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STEPUPSANEWS can confirm on both instances of Zumane being employed in Winburg and Ladybrand there were political instructions and panelists were lobbied to appoint him.
POT, KETTLE, BLACK
Dr Phera previously chaired a panel that appointed Tshidi Setai as spokesperson for the Provincial Government, despite her dismissal from the Department of Transport for dishonesty. Setai was found guilty on 13 of the 14 charges brought against her.
She did not appeal the outcome, and the sanctions against her remain in place to this day.
In December 2023, Dr Phera appointed Setai as MLO for Premier, a position that does not need the job to be advertised.
Two months later, February 2025, Dr Phera appointed Setai as acting Provincial Spokesperson. A position that requires a proper recruitment process this violating subregulation 1.
What further complicates matters is that Motale Sebego, who emerged as the top candidate in that process, was subjected to competency testing and employment history verification, yet was not appointed by the panel chaired by Phera.
At the time of appointing Setai, Phera knew Setai was fired and her sanction still valid but appointed her.
ADVOCATE MOJALEFA MOLOTSI
The appointment of Advocate Mojalefa Molotsi presents another example of irregular influence in recruitment processes.
StepUp SA News reported on his appointment three weeks before the closing date for applications, not three weeks after interviews, but three weeks before applications had even closed.
SINAHJANUARY& ADVOCATE MOKHOBO
The appointments of Sinah January and Advocate Mokhobo were canvassed during ANC deployment meetings a practice that has become commonplace.
If the recent appointments in the Office of the Premier were to be properly investigated by the Public Service Commission at national head office and not by what some describe as a “captured” Free State office several of these decisions could potentially be reviewed and set aside.
The Free State Provincial Government is increasingly being described by critics as a crime scene of governance failures.
Moss Mushi, spokesperson for DPSA said, “The branch is saying transport blocked her and should respond the status because there are timeframes for lifting the blocking and we will not have that information.”
Collen Msibi, spokesperson for National Department said, “The HR section in the Department has confirmed it did not receive any enquiry from the FSPG regarding Ms Setai.”
Did Phera do everything he is accusing Zumane panels of failure to do?
Surely if a person has to be unblocked a little courtesy to engage National Transport Department would not hurt anyone.
We will submit PAIA request to Dr Phera to have access to information regarding the appointment of Setai.
Dr Takisi Masiteng is vindicated, he will be remembered as the man who told Premier Mathae she will collapse governance, in her face and it’s happening in front of us.
Dr Solomon Phera, Director-General of Free State Provincial Government did not respond to our questions.
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