Prison officials denied whistle-blowing Pollsmoor doctor, Paul Theron, entry to the Pollsmoor Prison hospital when he reported for duty on Tuesday, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reported.
According to the SABC, Theron was asked to return on Wednesday.
The Cape Town Labour Court on Friday ordered that he could return to work, pending the outcome of a hearing at the bargaining council. The Department of Health had earlier suspended him after Theron had complained about poor conditions at the prison hospital.
Alison Tilley of the Open Democracy Advice Centre, which represents Theron said: ”Theron is a prison doctor and a specialist as far as working in prisons is concerned.”
”Pollsmoor is a very challenging environment and Theron wishes to continue working there,” she said.
The Department of Correctional Services said it was studying the Labour Court judgement with the intention of appealing.
According to the SABC, spokesperson Mark Solomons said the department was reconsidering Theron’s appointment.
”He was never with the establishment of Correctional Services, they just had a relationship with the Department of Health whereby they provided some services for them for the interim.”
Theron said he believes conditions have improved substantially at Pollsmoor since the middle of the year when he spoke out, though he has not personally had much opportunity to check on that. ”If that’s the only gain from the whole process, then at least it’s a gain,” he said.
Theron has been a medical practitioner at Pollsmoor for 10 years, and a district surgeon for 22.
Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour and Western Cape health minister Pierre Uys were ordered to pay the costs of Theron’s application, including the cost of two counsel. – Sapa