By OBAKENG MAJE

12 June 2026 – The North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari has refuted allegations that he was involved in the sale of North West Transport Investment (NTI) buses. This comes after startling allegations surfaced on various social media platforms alleging that Lehari sold NTI buses, during his tenure as the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management.

Lehari further said he strongly rejected and dismissed unfounded allegations circulating on social media alleging his involvement in the sale of NTI buses. He added that the allegations widely circulated on social media are devoid of truth, malicious and intended to tarnish his reputation and standing in society as a leader and as a Member of Executive (MEC).

“The department that was under my political leadership, exercised oversight over NTI, but did not participate in its day-to-day management or operational affairs. Like all State-Owned Enterprises (SoEs), NTI operates under its own governance structures and statutory mandates.

“The auctions conducted by NTI formed part of its operational responsibilities and were undertaken in accordance with its governance processes. Reports on these auctions were duly submitted to both the Executive Council (EXCO), in its capacity as shareholder representative, and the Portfolio Committee responsible for overseeing the department,” he said.

Lehari said it is important to also emphasise that during the period in question between 2018 to 2022, all departments were under national government, through the invocation of Section 100(1)(b) with administrators sent from national government to the province, as key decision-makers, in the running of the provincial government. He said it is also important to note that NTI has its own executive management board that runs the entity and reports to the administrator sent by the national government.

“It is therefore impractical that an MEC whose department is under administration can issue such an instruction or be involved, as wrongfully alleged. Prior to this malicious accusation, I had already submitted detailed responses, regarding all matters related to NTI to the Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Transport Management,” said Lehari.

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Picture: Traditional leaders engaging with North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari/Supplied 

By AGISANANG SCUFF

22 October 2025- The North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari has reaffirmed the department’s commitment to working closely with Traditional Leaders (Dikgosi) to address pressing healthcare challenges and strengthen service delivery across the province. Lehari met with dikgosi at Kings Gate in Rustenburg as part of his ongoing stakeholder engagement programme aimed at building strong partnerships to improve healthcare access and quality.

During the engagement, he apologised for the delay in convening the meeting and emphasised the importance of establishing a consistent communication channel between the department and dikgosi. He further assured the leaders that his department is ready to work hand-in-hand with them on health issues affecting their communities and committed to consulting them regularly on developments and challenges within health facilities located in their traditional areas.

“The department will prioritise mobile clinics in rural villages and hold quarterly engagements with dikgosi to monitor progress and ensure accountability,” added Lehari.

He assured dikgosi that they will have direct access to operational managers, chief directors, and hospital CEOs for swift resolution of service-related issues. Lehari also announced that Mmabonyana Lerumo, Director for Special Programmes, will serve as a direct liaison between the department and traditional leaders to ensure quick responses to operational matters.

Meanwhile, Traditional Leaders welcomed Lehari’s open-door approach and raised several issues requiring urgent attention. Kgosi Montshioa encouraged the department to fast-track the finalisation of the North West School of Medicine, which he said is crucial for building capacity and producing home-grown healthcare professionals.

“We call for improved functionality of hospital boards and clinic committees. In the past, poor communication and irregular meetings had undermined their effectiveness,” said Montshioa.

The Chief of Batlhaping BaGa-Maidi Tribal Authority, Kgosi Nyoko Motlhabane, raised concerns about the lack of timeous communication between the department and traditional leaders regarding health-related activities in their villages. Motlhabane stressed that dikgosi should be notified well in advance to allow them to mobilise their communities effectively, instead of being informed at the same time as residents.

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By AGISANANG SCUFF

24 September 2025- The North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari has commended the standard of primary healthcare services provided at Tsholofelo Clinic and Jouberton Community Health Centre (CHC) in Klerksdorp. Lehari’s remarks followed oversight visits to the two facilities during the ongoing Thuntsha Lerole Integrated Service Delivery Programme in Jouberton Township, in Klerksdorp.

He further said Tsholofelo Clinic, located in Jouberton, has been serving the community for 33 years. Lehari added that it is an 8-hour facility that refers patients to Jouberton CHC.

“During our visit, we inspected key areas, including the waiting area, pharmacy, consulting rooms, and youth-friendly services. We expressed satisfaction with the state of the facility, praising management and staff for their dedication.

“I am pleased that the operational manager here is knowledgeable and hands-on. The clinic is clean, medicine supply is sufficient, and security measures are in place,” he said.

Lehari said patients expressed general satisfaction with services, though some raised concerns about waiting times. He said it was noted that most patients arrive simultaneously around 7am, causing delays.

“During the visit, one patient was assessed on the spot and referred to Klerksdorp Hospital for further ENT (ear, nose, and throat) investigation—an example of responsive care. I applauded the staff for that and urged nurses not to become complacent.

“Nurses should attend to patients as early as possible. People should not be kept waiting the entire day without being helped,” said Lehari.

He said the visit also highlighted areas for improvement, including the need to erect a security guardhouse, install security gates, and trim trees leaning against the perimeter fence. Lehari said the clinic reported 95% medicine availability and an ambulance response time of 45 minutes, both within acceptable norms.

“Staffing currently includes six professional nurses, one enrolled nursing assistant, one doctor, and two cleaners. We stressed the importance of filling two vacant professional nurse posts to strengthen service delivery.

“At Jouberton CHC, which officially opened in 2023, we noted several areas of excellence. The facility reported 95% medicine availability, a TB cure rate of 95%, and Platinum status for performance against National Core Standards,” he said.

Lehari said the CHC was established as part of the government’s commitment to restore and uphold communities’ constitutional right to healthcare. He said, however, challenges remain.

“We raised concerns about gangsterism around the facility, calling for a multi-stakeholder approach involving the South African Police Service (SAPS) and security partners to address the problem.

“The centre also faces pressure from patients outside its catchment area who prefer to use Jouberton CHC, further straining resources. We concluded by encouraging the clinic committee to continue serving as a vital link between communities and management,” said Lehari.

He said clinic committees must listen to community concerns and work with management to ensure these issues are addressed.

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