Eastern Cape Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa has launched an investigation into two hospital CEOs who allowed an Israeli diplomatic delegation to tour their facilities without provincial government approval, reports News24.
She said the visit should have been authorised by the Bhisho provincial office.
Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital CEO Nomkhitha Mtonjana and Mthatha Regional Hospital’s CEO Ntovhedzeni Ligeg had attended an event organised by controversial AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo and Israeli diplomat David Saranga in Mthatha a week ago.
The monarch had organised the meeting at his eNkululekweni residence to facilitate Israel’s provision of infrastructure, among other “healthcare needs”, to the two hospitals. Dalindyebo and Saranga also toured the facilities, much to Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s annoyance.
Dalindyebo, who had visited Israel with other traditional and church leaders last year, said he did not need the Premier’s permission to bring assistance to his community, and that the two CEOs did not have the authority to stop him from visiting the facilities.
“Kings have authority,” Dalindyebo told Newzroom Afrika. “This country does not belong to politicians. It belongs to the people and its traditional leaders.”
The AbaThembu kingdom jurisdiction includes Mthatha, Mqanduli, and Ngcobo, the latter, ironically, being Mabuyane’s birthplace.
Capa told News24 this week that she had formed an investigation team to probe the incident.
“We were not aware of the visit by the Israeli delegation. When I spoke to the two CEOs, they said the king had invited them and they were not aware of what the invitation was all about. They said the king asked to visit the (hospital) facilities and that they were unable to deny him (and his delegation) because he is a king.”
Capa said the Israeli delegation needed to follow protocols before visiting Mthatha. She admitted, however, that her department needed help, “but this must be done in a proper way”.
The two CEOs have not been suspended, she added, and her office would act against them only after the investigation concludes.
On his X page after the visit, Saranga described the Eastern Cape as a region of “extraordinary history and resilience, yet it remains one of South Africa’s most underserved provinces”.
“In many of the rural villages …access to clean drinking water remains a luxury rather than a given. Entire communities depend on distant or unreliable water sources, forcing families – often women and children – to walk long distances each day simply to meet basic needs,” Saranga wrote.
He confirmed “engaging in in-depth discussions” with Mtonjana and Ligege.
The conversations focused on potential co-operation with (the) Sheba Medical Centre, Israel’s largest and most comprehensive hospital. These discussions built on an earlier meeting in Israel between the king and Professor Yitshak Kreiss, director-general of Sheba Medical Centre.
“At that meeting, Kreiss made a clear commitment: ‘Tell us what you need, and we will bring our experts to you. We will share our knowledge and experience, and we will cover all the costs’.
“This approach reflects a philosophy of partnership rather than aid. It is about building local capacity, strengthening institutions, and empowering professionals on the ground,” Saranga wrote.
Despite strained relations between Jerusalem and Pretoria, he said it was essential to recognise that South Africa was not “monolithic”.
“The residents of the Eastern Cape have articulated their needs clearly and repeatedly. They seek water security, access to healthcare, agricultural tools, and opportunities for their youth.”
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