FoodMed curatorship lifted
Drickus Maartens • February 7, 2020
The Council for Medical Schemes
(CMS) hereby announces that the curatorship placed on the Food Worker’s Medical Benefit Fund (FoodMed) has been uplifted. “This follows the successful election of a Board of Trustees (BoT) in November 2019, to administer the affairs of the scheme,” said Dr Sipho Kabane, Chief Executive and Registrar of CMS. The Western Cape High Court placed FoodMed under provisional curatorship in July 2019, necessitated by the expiration of the scheme’s BoT at the end of June, and failure to reconstitute a board.
In terms of Section 57(6)(a) of the Medical Schemes Act, No. 131 of 1998, the Board of Trustees shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that the interests of beneficiaries in terms of the rules of the medical scheme and the provisions of this Act are protected at all times. “The curatorship was to ensure that proper governance at the scheme was upheld, and that the interests of members were secured,” added Dr Kabane.
The Acting Principal Officer, Mr Eben De Jager is now in full control of the scheme. The new BoT elected Mr Andre Davids, an independent member, as Chairperson. Other members include:
- Vice Chairperson: Ms Michelle Jansen (employee member)
- Ms Gerda October (employee member)
- Mr Ashley Gertse (employee member)
- Mr Hardus Hamman (employee member)
- Mr Ian Swanepoel (employee member)
- Mr Chesné Geldenhuys (employee member)
The CMS will continue to exercise statutory oversight regarding the affairs of the medical scheme, and to ensure that the interests of members of medical schemes are protected at all times.

It has been estimated that 80% to 90% of doctors experience some form of burnout at some point in their careers. This can affect their ability to practise optimally and to connect with their patients with empathy and care. The consequences are serious, as burnout and depression are major risks for doctors, threatening both their wellbeing and the quality of care they provide.

Upbeat 25-year-old student Atang Climantine Makhubedu jokingly calls herself a cataract survivor. Just weeks before, however, she was battling the harsh reality of unexpected vision loss, which Dr Sachin Bawa, an ophthalmic surgeon practising at Netcare Linkwood Hospital, describes as having significantly impacted Atang’s daily life.

A South African first of its kind tool is transforming patient care locally by leveraging Netcare’s advanced electronic medical records system and abundant clinical data. This will help clinicians identify risk of deterioration from common causes earlier among intensive care patients so that treatment can start sooner.

Colorectal cancer, one of the most prevalent yet preventable cancers, can develop in the colon or rectum, often starting as small polyps that can quietly become malignant if left unchecked. Dr Mpho Ramabulana, a colorectal surgeon and gastroenterologist at Netcare Akasia Hospital, underscores the life-saving power of vigilance and the importance of early detection.