SCHOEMANSDAL – They launched protest action outside the hospital’s gates on April 20 to demand more transparency from the hospital board and the Department of Health regarding, among other issues, hiring procedures.
“We want transparency in all that happens at the hospital. Today they are introducing a new Chief Executive Officer when we have never been told anything about the previous CEO,” said one of the protesters.
The demonstrator added that apart from fighting for their own rights as employees at the hospital, they are also standing for the employment opportunities of locals from Nkomazi. “There are so many people who live in Nkomazi who are unemployed but the job opportunities are being given to people not from around the area. There are certain people who come from as far as Mbombela to work here, and you find that those very job interviews were held in Mbombela.”
Police were present to monitor the situation and maintain the order, while the protesters sang anti-corruption songs.
Provincial spokesman for the department of Health Mr Dumisani Malamule, said except for some attempts to interrupt the proceedings of the day, the introduction of Shongwe Mission hospital’s acting CEO was successful. “There are allegations against the previous CEO and the department is busy with an investigation, thus the matter cannot be discussed much further pending the investigation. There is no case opened against the precious CEO however, it is only an internal investigation,” he explained.
