National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS)
Public Entity · Social Services · reports to Department of Health (DoH)
The National Health Laboratory Service is the largest diagnostic pathology service in South Africa, providing laboratory services to the public health sector. It operates under the National Health Laboratory Service Act, 2000 (Act No. 37 of 2000).
It runs a national network of laboratories serving public hospitals and clinics across all nine provinces, covering chemical pathology, haematology, microbiology, virology, anatomical pathology and related disciplines. It is funded largely by charging provincial health departments for tests performed.
It also incorporates the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the National Institute for Occupational Health, and supports academic pathology training in partnership with universities. The NICD’s role in surveillance and outbreak response was central to South Africa’s COVID-19 response and to its identification of new variants.
Audit record, 5 years
Financial highlights, 2024/25
- Total Revenue
- R12.8bn
- Total Expenditure
- −R12.9bn
- Total Assets
- R12.1bn
- Total Liabilities
- R3.1bn
Values in rand. Sparklines run oldest to newest and are scaled to each series, not to zero.
Leadership, 29 listed
- Chairperson
- Prof Jeffrey Mphahlele
- Deputy Chairperson
- Prof Keith Craig Househam
- Board Members
- Dr Lesley Bamford Mr Nick Buick Dr Palesa Dibakoane-Njana Mr Sebastian Gelderbloem Prof Mpho Kgomo Adv Matefo Majodina Mr Jonathan Mallet Dr Siseko Martin Dr Teboho Moji Mr Koena Nkoko Dr Mahlane Phalane Prof Tivani Phosa Mashamba-Thompson Dr Naledzani Ramalivhana Mr Michael Sachs Dr Rendani Tshitangano
- Chief Executive Officer
- Prof Koleka Mlisana
- Chief Financial Officer
- Ms Pumeza Mayekiso
- Senior Management
- Prof Nazir Ismail Ms Tebogo Kekana Prof Spoponki Kgalamono Ms Shantell Mackay Prof Pieter Meyer Ms Makgopelo Mkhwanazi Dr Lufuno Raliphada Dr Sylvia Sathekge Prof Elise Schapkaitz
- Communications Officers
- Mr Mzimasi Gcukumana
Description written for this directory from the entity’s own published sources: www.nhls.ac.za, www.gov.za