Justin arenstein, Nelspruit | Wednesday
MPUMALANGA has fast-tracked disciplinary hearings against four senior hospital managers who allegedly allowed a volunteer rape crisis group to distribute anti-Aids drugs to rape victims without written authorisation.
Health department representative Lucky Molobela confirmed that the disciplinary hearing against Rob Ferreira hospital superintendent Dr Thys van Mollendorf, hospital manager David Mdluli, chief matron Thuli Khoza and social worker Dianne van Heerden had been brought forward nine days.
Dr Van Mollendorf and the three other managers were charged with gross misconduct for allowing the Greater Nelspruit Rape Intervention Project (GRIP) into the hospital without written permission from MEC Sibongile Manana.
A fourth senior official, district health manager Careen Swart, has already been fired on similar charges.
Manana has repeatedly clashed with GRIP since banning anti-Aids drugs such as AZT and 3TC from State hospitals in the belief that they endangered black lives and were part of a plot to undermine President Thabo Mbeki and the African National Congress (ANC) government.
GRIP defied the ban, continued distributing the drugs free-of-charge to child sexual abuse and rural rape victims. Victims were also given clean clothes, toiletries and a teddy bear as part of a ‘care pack’, and were offered counselling and legal assistance.
Manana eventually evicted GRIP from Rob Ferreira and a second hospital, Themba, in October last year but was forced to allow the volunteer organisation back following a legal challenge and widespread public criticism.
She issued a second eviction order last week after complaining about negative media coverage of her views on AZT and noting that GRIP did not have written authorisation to operate from State facilities.
Molobela confirmed that the disciplinary hearing against Rob Ferreira’s top management had been fast-tracked and would possibly be settled this week in an attempt to finalise the issue.
He was unable to comment further, but departmental officials who declined to be named added that mounting political opposition to the eviction in both the provincial legislature and national parliament had played a role.
Opposition parties grilled the ANC government about the eviction in legislature, while the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) tabled parliamentary questions to national health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang requesting a full investigation into the issue.
Mpumalanga agriculture MEC Candith Mashego-Dlamini accused GRIP of deliberately arguing the issue in the media and warned that non-government organisations should adhere to the policies of government and the ruling ANC. – African Eye News Service