20 June 1997
The Chairperson of the Gauteng Legislature Health Portfolio Committee, Mr Modli Gungubele, today condemned the unavailability of medical doctors "and a seeming state of disorder" at Tambo Memorial Hospital in Benoni, as "appalling, negligent and intolerable".
A front page report in the Sowetan today (20 June 1997) revealed how Mr Thomas Maringula, a resident of the Boksburg based ERPM Hostel, was made to "spend more than 10 agonising hours with his entrails exposed because there were no doctors to treat him". The report quotes members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) as saying that doctors are unavailable after 4pm, and that senior doctors refuse to attend to emergencies. Among other criticisms, the Union is reported as saying that doctors claim payment for hours nor worked, and that hospital management has ignored complaints on these and other matters.
Mr Gungubele said "the Committee recently wrote a letter to the Provincial Health Department regarding Mr Maringula's ordeal, in order to seek corrective intervention. We consider this seeming state of disorder at Tambo Memorial Hospital as shocking, negligent and intolerable. One Monday, 23 June, the Committee will visit the hospital to discuss the matter with Management, the Mayor of Boksburg, the doctors concerned and the Trade Union. Any disciplinary measures and preventive action resulting from the Committee's investigations will be recommended to the Department. Our findings will also be communicated to the media. Health care is a critical pillar of our nation's development commitment and general well-being, and the Committee has the obligation to ensure that its provision is professional, ethical and thorough.
"Among other priorities, we will continue to monitor services at other institutions in order to guard against and eliminate the abusive care of patients. On behalf of the Committee, I apologise to Mr Maringula for the unhappy treatment he received at the hospital, and I wish him full and speedy recovery" concluded Mr Gungubele.
Moemise Motsepe (Media Liaison Officer) Legislature)
For more information and interviews, Mr Gungubele may be contacted on (011) 498-5996, or 083 701 6147.
Issued by: Communication Department of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature