Dr Keith Cloete was appointed as Head of Health for the Western Cape Government on 1 April 2020. He led the Western Cape COVID-19 pandemic response, including the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Dr Cloete was appointed as DDG: Chief of Operations for Western Cape Government: Health, effective 1 March 2015. He was the Chief Director for Metro District Health Services since 2007 and prior to that, the Director: HIV/ AIDS/ STI and TB since 2003.
He is a qualified medical doctor and has worked as a medical officer at various health facilities in the Western Cape Government: Health from 1989 to 1996, and as a Chief Medical Officer in the Cape Metro Region from 1996 to 2003.
He has extensive experience of working in the Western Cape Public Health sector in many different capacities over the past 30 years. He is a founding member of Western Cape Reference Group for Health Promoting Schools and has been involved in numerous inter-sectorial initiatives to address a wide range of social challenges affecting the health and well-being of communities in the Western Cape.
Since 2017 he has been closely involved with the Whole of Society Approach (WoSA) on behalf of the Western Cape Government: Health, a multi-sectoral approach across Western Cape Departments for collaborative action across all spheres of government and sectors, guided by a shared purpose to improve the well-being of citizens. He is currently convening the Western Cape Government multi-sectoral violence prevention and mental health intervention strategies.
He has been involved in a range of leadership initiatives towards a more resilient and people-centred Department of Health & Wellness, as part of a collective learning and organisational culture journey.
Dr Keith Cloete’s qualifications include a MBChB degree at the University of Cape Town, a Postgraduate Diploma in Child Health (SA), the Oliver Tambo Fellowship and a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Management (with distinction) and a range of short-courses.
