The Gauteng Department of Health has stepped in to resolve what the DA called a staff crisis, at the Johannesburg Forensic Pathological Services.
According to the Democratic Alliance (DA) Shadow MEC, Jack Bloom, seven female staff members have laid a formal grievance against a doctor, who has a managerial role at the institution. In November last year, he was found guilty on three charges, including death threats, insubordination and being verbally insulting.
“The sanction was a final written warning and three months of unpaid suspension, but this was overturned on appeal in April this year by Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu as she felt there were procedural errors, a lack of evidence relating to the charges and that some of the complainants appeared to have ganged up against the doctor, who himself had laid grievances against them,”Bloom said.
Bloom is concerned that service delivery will be affected at the mortuary.
Steve Mabona, the Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson, on the other hand, assured that service delivery will not be affected.
“The staff at Johannesburg Forensic Pathology [Services] are professional and follow proper channels when they want to voice their grievances. Issues relating to employee relations at the said facility are being attended to internally. We will communicate publicly the latest development of our intervention,” Mabona said.
Bloom called the issue a “mess”, and blamed the manner in which discipline is handled by the department.
Details: Gauteng Department of Health, 011 355 3503/3000.
Related articles:
GRAPHIC IMAGES: Patient screams hospital neglect
Gauteng Health wastes R16m on security contracts – DA
