Public outrage has intensified following the appointment of Zongezile Adam Zumane, a convicted fraudster, as Chief Executive Officer of Senorita Nhlabathi Hospital, a public healthcare facility in the Free State province.
Zumane was hired by the Free State Department of Health and assumed the CEO role at the hospital in July 2025. In this senior position, he was responsible for overseeing the operations of the public facility, including managing budgets and handling public funds.
Zumane previously served eight years in prison after being convicted of fraud. He defrauded a municipality of approximately R5 million and was involved in a larger scheme that resulted in over R170 million being stolen from public coffers.
The controversy stems from lapses in the recruitment process. Free State Provincial Government Director-General Dr. Molefinyana Phera explained that when Zumane was initially appointed to a lower-level position in 2019, he disclosed his criminal record to the recruiting panel. However, the panel failed to conduct a proper risk and ethical assessment as required. Instead, they relied solely on a report from the correctional facility attesting to his rehabilitation, without performing additional checks such as verifying his criminal record directly from the South African Police Service (SAPS), reviewing his asset and financial position, confirming citizenship, or conducting previous employment verifications.
This oversight allowed his initial appointment to proceed unnoticed by senior management or executive authorities due to the low-level nature of the role.
In 2025, Zumane applied for and was promoted to the CEO position, reigniting concerns. Dr. Phera noted that preliminary findings indicate a continued lapse in risk and ethical assessments during this process. Even now, the department lacks the standard police criminal record and asset/financial reports typically required for all appointments.
As a result, the appointment is viewed as potentially irregular and subject to review. Dr. Phera stated that the department has invoked public service regulations to mitigate risk by shifting Zumane from his managerial role. He has been moved to a non-managerial position in a clinical environment, consistent with his professional background as a nurse, while the matter is under investigation and appropriate corrective measures are determined.
Reports from the selection panels for both 2019 and 2025 have been reviewed, highlighting the failures to follow required procedures. Accountability measures will apply to panel members and others in the value chain, potentially including disciplinary action. For Zumane himself, if misrepresentation of facts is found, he could face disciplinary processes. Otherwise, the department may seek a labor court review to set aside the appointment or reassign him to a role with no access to public funds.
The situation has sparked mixed reactions, with calls for greater transparency and stricter adherence to recruitment protocols in public sector appointments involving sensitive responsibilities. The department is proceeding with a full review to address the irregularities.