Rolene Wagner calls the Eastern Cape home but the house she grew up in is in Cape Towns Lotus River where education and competitive swimming was given an almost desperate emphasis.
She credits her mother Cheryl The Boss and her father, Roland The Coach for the drive and the grounded, no-nonsense approach to life for her lifes journey, which saw her rise to lead one of the toughest jobs in South African healthcare.
As the current superintendent general of the Eastern Cape health department, she has rolled out an electronic patient record system in 40 hospitals. As word of its efficacy spread, lots of others have become interested.
In todays newsletter , Tanya Pampalone introduces us to the current superintendent general of the Eastern Cape health department, Rolene Wagner. Sign up for our newsletter today.
Rolene Wagner calls the Eastern Cape home but the family seat the house she grew up in is in Cape Towns Lotus River, so we made a plan to meet there, with her mothers permission.
The pin Wagner sends lands me outside an eggshell yellow stop nonsense guarding a pyramidal house on the wall of which a glazed orange street number is arranged next to a clay palm, and a sombrero-wearing donkey. Wagner comes out, high heels clacking on the brick drive, to guide the car into the paved front yard. When I open the door its her mother small in stature, wearing a hibiscus-print dress waiting to greet me.
Cheryl, hard ch. She offers a cup of coffee, and disappears.
You know those dragon mothers, says Wagner, nodding her head after her receding ma, well, shes the real deal. Vuur en vlam . There used to be a rubber tree where youre parked, and one day us kids came back from school to find our underwear strewn in the branches for all to see her way of telling us she was tired of picking up our clothes.