An experienced administrator and three times deputy minister, new Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla will have to take over a troubled portfolio in the middle of a pandemic.
After holding three deputy posts, Dr Joe Phaahla was promoted to a full minister on Thursday night when President Cyril Ramaphosa reshuffled his Cabinet.
A medical doctor with an ever-present smile, Phaahla has in recent weeks become a familiar face as he takes part in weekly briefings on Friday mornings to update the country on the state of South Africa’s vaccination roll-out, never missing an opportunity to tell people to wash their hands, wear their masks and get vaccinated.A founding member of the Azanian Students’ Organisation, Phaahla joined the United Democratic Front in 1983 and was elected as its secretary.
Phaahla was the head of the ANC presidency responsible for coordinating the office of the president, deputy president and national chairperson during the election campaign from November 2008 to 30 April 2009. General Secretary of the TAC Anele Yawa said, “it is shocking that at least a whopping R90-million in “suspicious payments” were made from the irregular R150-million tender contract.