South Africa’s health minister suspended the head of his department and two other senior officials who were charged with fraud earlier this month.
Director-General Sandile Buthelezi, Deputy Director-General for Hospitals Services Percy Mahlati and chief financial officer Phaswa Mamogale were all placed on precautionary suspension until the cases against them are finalized or until their contracts end, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said in a statement on Wednesday.
Nicolas Crisp, the deputy director-general for National Health Insurance, was named acting director-general for three months.
The three were arrested and charged with fraud and theft of money allocated to South Africa by the Global Fund, one of the world’s largest infectious-disease charities.
They were granted bail and will return to court 3 June.
BLOOMBERG