Cape Town - The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) has approached the High Court in Cape Town to seek an order for the removal of the curator for the South African Municipal Workers' Union Medical Aid Scheme (Samwumed), the council said on Sunday.
Following serious allegations received by the CMS regarding the conduct of Samwumed curator Duduza Khosana, the council was currently engaging the scheme in a move to restore stability and protect the interests of members, CMS general manager for stakeholder relations Grace Khoza said.
In May this year, Samwumed was placed under provisional curatorship following a successful application by the acting registrar of the CMS in terms of section 56(1) of the Medical Schemes Act, and section 5(1) and (2) of the Financial Institutions (Protection of Funds) Act. On May 3, the High Court in Cape Town ordered that Khosana be appointed provisional curator for Samwumed, she said.
"Notwithstanding the appointment of the curator, the CMS continued to exercise its statutory oversight and to ensure that the interests of members are protected during the period of curatorship. In this regard, concerns were raised related to the curator’s performance and governance issues.
"In light of the concerns, the CMS has decided to intervene in the curatorship of Samwumed in order to protect the interests of members. In the circumstances, the CMS has approached the High Court in Cape Town to seek an order for the removal of Ms Khosana. The reasons for the order sought by the CMS will be dealt with in court," Khoza said.
As part of its regulatory supervision of the medical schemes industry, the CMS would continue to exercise statutory oversight regarding the affairs of medical schemes, and to ensure that the interests of members of medical schemes were protected at all times, she said.