Residents fear Ugu councillor’s wrath

A HIGH-ranking Ugu District Municipality councillor is alleged to have threatened Gcilima residents who dared to complain about a clinic where a close family member of his worked.

His family member, a woman, is one of the clinic employees who have been suspended while Gcilima residents’ complaints are being investigated. Community members who instigated the investigation claim that the councillor said he would get them “one by one” if the woman was dismissed.

The alleged problems at the clinic were brought to the attention of journalist, former editor and parliamentary newsroom specialist Cedric Mboyisa. He hails from the little village of Gcilima in the Hibiscus Coast Municipal area – and he hasn’t forgotten his roots.

“I am proud of my village and I am passionate about community issues,” he said.

When residents came to him with their problems about the Gcilima Clinic, he asked them to write a statement about any ill-treatment the community had received from clinic staff. He was shocked when he read their list of complaints, which included allegations that lives had been lost or almost lost due to the staff’s uncaring attitude.

One woman told him that her friend’s child had died in its mother’s arms while the mother was standing in the queue at the clinic, although the staff had been told the child was in need of urgent attention. Another young man claimed that he had lost his brother due to tardiness on the part of staff members, who hadn’t taken his brother’s life-threatening condition seriously.

While residents described some clinic staff members as efficient, caring professionals, other staff members came under fire for their arrogant, couldn’t-care-less attitude towards their patients. Residents said clinic staff subjected their patients to verbal abuse, shouting or swearing at them almost daily. Patient confidentiality was also allegedly breached.

Residents claimed clinic staff members spoke loudly about their health issues in front of other patients. Worse still, HIV positive patients said they were publicly embarrassed and gossiped about by some staff members. It had got so bad that some of them had defaulted on their treatment as they had been too intimidated to go to the clinic.

Saddened by what the residents had to say, Cedric wrote a letter to the health minister who ordered the KwaZulu-Natal Health Ombudsman to probe the matter. He also sent a letter to the Deputy Public Protector, Advocate Kevin Malunga, who responded with concern. Certain clinic staff members are under suspension and could face disciplinary action. The investigation is still ongoing.

Community members told the South Coast Herald they would not back down because of the councillor’s threat as they were determined to see their valuable community clinic functioning as it should.