MBOMBELA – The Mpumalanga Department of Health has again courted controversy with the appointment of the new chief executive officer (CEO) at Matikwana Hospital in Mkhuhlu, Bushbuckridge.
During a media briefing about the department’s budget for 2016/17, MEC Mr Gillion Mashego noted that CEOs in the province’s hospitals remained a challenge.
However, he defended the appointment of Mr Marondo Malaza at Matikwana on February 1.
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Malaza, a radiographer, used to be the shop steward of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) at Rob Ferreira Hospital. In 2014 Lowvelder reported that the management of the hospital had accused him of intimidation.
The now-expired board of Matikwana is complaining about the appointment, saying it was sidelined with the appointment and had confidence in the previous acting CEO, a medical doctor who was allegedly not granted an interview.
The treasurer at the time, Ms Cecilia Godi wrote a letter to the MEC in January, complaining that “we are not ready to receive another CEO as a surprise at Matikwana Hospital if it is unprocedural”.
The board members claim the union was running the hospital. “It belongs to the public, not Nehawu,” said community spokesman Mr Wonoke Mhlongo. “Enough is enough. Cadre redeployment is sidelining qualified and competent people.”
A doctor who recently left Matikwana confirmed an incident in March when she was asked to discharge maternity patients late at night on the orders of the ward councillor in the area. She told Lowvelder it was one of the reasons which led to her resignation.
“That night I was commanded by the ward councillor to discharge patients. I refused, saying it was not safe. I was told the CEO had arranged transport for them. It was shocking to me.”
According to the doctor there were mothers who had given birth that day and other patients who were waiting for the results of their blood tests before being discharged, as they often had comebacks when new mothers suffered from low blood levels post-delivery.
The hold-up here was an overwhelmed laboratory technician who had to deal with imperfect equipment too. She added that another doctor resigned along with her over the working conditions.
“We are too busy and short-staffed, we are overwhelmed and overworked. We get no assistance.”
The board further alleges that only four out of 15 cleaners recently appointed hailed from the area, with the others coming from as far as eMalahleni (Witbank) and KwaZulu-Natal. These claims were rubbished by the MEC, who said it would not happen “in our lifetimes” that entry-level cleaners from outside the area would be appointed.
Acting department head Dr Savera Mohangi said she could not respond to where the cleaners were from, but that the department targeted the local community for such positions. She added that everybody belonged to unions, and that Malaza was not at Matikwana as a Nehawu member but to manage the hospital.
“It is too soon to say. He will be given the opportunity to learn. The province and districts will support him,” she said. She added that, “The board has a direct line to the MEC.”
The board denied this, saying the MEC ignored their objections while they were still active. They wrote to him, “We say that dictatorship and lack of consultation must not suppress us.”
Mashego said the complaining board was overstepping. “You can’t say in the same month that the CEO is appointed he is guilty of maladministration. There are many distortions.”
Malaza could not be reached for comment at the hospital.
