Dr MJ Phaahla was appointed as Deputy Minister of Health in the seventh administration since democracy on 3 July 2024. Prior to that, Dr Phaahla held several positions in national and provincial government.

From August 2021 to June 2024, Dr Phaahla was Minister of Health, having been appointed while South Africa and the rest of the world were battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Before being appointed as Minister of Health, Dr Phaahla was Deputy Minister of Health from 2014 to 2019 and was reappointed to that position from May 2019 to August 2021.

Prior to the health portfolio, Dr Phaahla had started in the national government from May 2009 when he was appointed Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform and later in November 2010 shifted to the position of Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture. While serving in the various portfolios of the national executive of government, Dr Phaahla was also a member of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa.

Before entering Parliament and the national executive, Dr Phaahla served in the administration of the Government of South Africa from 2000 to 2008, first as the CEO of the South African Sports Commission and later in 2005 as Director-General of Sport in charge of organising the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa from June to July 2010.

At provincial government level, Dr Phaahla was amongst the first members of legislature of Limpopo after the 1994 first democratic elections. He was appointed as the first Member of Executive Council of Health in 1994 to 1997 and then shifted to Education, Sports and Culture from July 1997 until June 1999, then Sport and Culture,1999 to April 2000.

Before taking formal political office in1994, Dr Phaahla worked as a Medical Officer in several hospitals in South Africa from medical internship in 1984 to becoming a Senior Medical Superintendent by the time of leaving front-line medical service in April 1994. He qualified as a medical doctor at the end of 1983 from the University of Natal. He also did several management diplomas during his term in various portfolios.

Dr Phaahla has been an anti-apartheid activist from youth and student where he held national leadership positions. He was also elected to more senior anti-apartheid leadership positions such as the National Executive Committee of the United Democratic Front. He also led medical and health sector anti-apartheid organidations such as the National Medical and Dental Association, NAMDA.

When the African National Congress was unbanned in 1990, Dr Phaahla became one of its leaders in Limpopo, reaching the position of Deputy Provincial Chairperson from 1992 up to 1998 and remaining an executive member until 2001 when he was moved to the national sphere from 2007 until today. Dr Phaahla is a member of the highest structure of the African National Congress, the National Executive Committee.

Dr Phaahla was Head of the ANC Presidency responsible for coordinating the office of the President, Deputy President and National Chairperson during the election campaign from November 2008 to 30 April 2009. Before that he was elected to the National Executive Committee of the ANC in December 2007, former Director-General 2010 FIFA World Cup Government Coordinating Unit and 2005-2008 CEO of the S.A. Sports Commission which was the overall coordination and regulator of all Sports Federations from 2000-2005. The Sports Commission paved the way for the current S.A. Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee –SASCOC.

He serves as MEC for Education, Sports and Culture in Limpopo between 1997 and 2000 and the first MEC for Health and Social Development in Limpopo from 1994 to 1997. Dr Phaahla was a Member of the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC in Limpopo between 1991 and 2001, and before the unbanning of the ANC in 1990 served in leadership positions in various mass democratic movement structures including in the NEC of the United Democratic Front.

He qualified as a Medical Practitioner MBCHB in 1983 at the University of Natal and practised in various hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal ,Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo until April 1994.