The IFP condemns the redeployment of the former R.K Khan Chief Executive Officer, Dr Pravan Subban to St Aidans public hospital. This is because the system of redeploying incompetent officials has been adversely affecting public health care in this province.

We urge the MEC of Health, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu to always prioritise citizens of KwaZulu-Natal when taking critical decisions. Our people deserve a government that systematically places competence, merit and excellent public service before loyalty. And therefore, the decision to redeploy the CEO to another state hospital is an insult to the people of this province.

The hospital failed the poor and vulnerable and subjected them to inhumane and degrading healthcare services under watch. This is a clear indication that the CEO was not hands on, he was clueless about the operations of the hospital. How did maggots develop in the patient’s mouth if the CEO was competent adequately to ensure a smooth running of operations as the hospital board of directors’ claim? The demands by the hospital board that the CEO be reinstated, leaves a lot of room to wonder on whose interest do they serve the hospital?.

Furthermore, the MEC claimed that the CEO has continuously failed to implement a number of interventions following a prolonged investigations and directives which were in the past given to the CEO to remedy as solutions but failed to act. We then ask, how did he then get the redeployment if he failed to act on directives from the department? On what basis? If he failed R.K Khan Hospital what will make him competent in St Aidans Hospital?.

It is now clear that the MEC of Health does not have a proper plan to turn things around in healthcare facilities in this province. This is time for government to stop playing hide and seek with problems in our hospitals and embark on an extensive transformation to address all the ongoing issues and stop redeploying incompetent people to critical positions, which has led to a demoralised public service.

The IFP in the KZN Legislature will purse this matter by submitting written questions to seek suitable answers from the MEC of Health on what basis that motivated the redeployment of R.K Khan Hospital CEO?

Issued by IFP