Cape Town - Members of the standing committee on health have disagreed with the advice of their own legal adviser on the issue of nominations of members of the Western Cape legislature to hospital boards in the province.
Legal adviser Romeo Maasdorp, who had been invited by the committee to its discussion of the implementation of the Western Cape Hospital Boards and Clinic Committees Act, told members the appointments were at the discretion of the Health MEC and the correct form was to wait for an invitation from her before nominating candidates.
Maasdorp said: “While nothing prevents the committee from forwarding names in anticipation of a future vacancy, there were several variables and intervening circumstances such as resignations and deaths, which might nullify such a move rendering it an exercise in futility.
“In any case we can only act after the MEC’s request for names.”
Committee member Reagan Allen (DA) said: “I don’t think it will necessarily be an exercise in futility. If we are proactive in this regard it could avoid a lengthy process of getting the names to the MEC.”
Fellow committee member Gillion Bosman (DA) agreed and said: “I’d like to propose that we continue to act in futility and propose names to the MEC who can then act at her discretion.”
However, committee members Ayanda Bans and Rachel Windvogel, both (ANC), suggested members of the legislature should instead be co-opted onto the boards, but Maasdorp said the Act did not allow for extra members on the boards, even if they were only observers.
Acting chairperson Lorraine Botha said: “We consider hospital boards a platform to become involved in and improve health services. Both boards and committees offer residents and public representatives a voice to advocate on matters that affect communities when it comes to health service delivery.
“The final list of MPLs from all political parties who decide to submit names will be submitted to the MEC for her consideration where vacancies exist.”