The Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) revealed a shocking trend to Parliament where healthcare establishments "borrow medical equipment and essential documents from other facilities to pass inspections fraudulently,” reported TimesLive (OHSC8 October 2025).
“This ‘window dressing’ is being driven by a rush to obtain certificates of compliance ahead of the nationwide rollout of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme.”
According to Dr Siphiwe Mndaweni, CEO of OHSC, the tactic is a “calculated attempt by some facilities to “appear compliant on paper while lacking the actual resources to provide adequate care”.
“During the 2024/25 financial year, the OHSC missed its inspection target, despite spending 106% of its allocated budget, underscoring the severity of the funding gap.”
Dr Mndaweni assured Parliament that the OHSC plans to review and update its norms and standards to better incorporate health outcomes and combat emerging deceptive practices