Shonisani Lethole's family responds to the Health Ombud Report on Tembisa Hospital. The Lethole family is joined by 6 other families who have lost their loved ones at the Hospital in recent years. Picture: Dimpho Maja/African News Agency(ANA)
Johannesburg - The Gauteng Department of Health confirms that disciplinary action is currently being taken against Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital officials, based on the forensic investigation report.
The report by the Special Investigating Unit was made public in December 2022, following the death of whistle-blower Babita Deokaran, who was shot and killed on August 23, 2021, while she was returning home from dropping her daughter off at school.
The department said employees who were sighted in the report and those who could have been involved in some of the transactions had been placed on precautionary suspension as part of pursuing the disciplinary process.
‘’The department will further consider its options in relation to those that have already terminated their services,’’ said the department’s spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba.
He said of the nine employees sighted in the SIU report, six officials were suspended as of July 10, 2023, to enable disciplinary proceedings to get underway, and an investigator has since been appointed to further deal with the matter.
‘’The Deputy Director for Supply Chain has since retired, a Chief Physiotherapist has since resigned, and a seasonal Medical Officer has since stopped working at the facility,’’ he said.
Modiba said the processes pertaining to the disciplinary case involving the suspended GDoH Chief Financial Officer and Tembisa Hospital Chief Executive Officer are underway and handled by the office of the Premier.
‘’The two officials have since been charged. The first set of hearings has sat, and the next set will be sitting in October 2023,’’ he said.
Modiba said the Premier’s office signed a Secondment Agreement with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the allegations of maladministration, fraud, and corruption related to the Supply Chain Management processes at Tembisa Hospital under the Gauteng Department of Health, as reported by the late Deokaran.
Among the recommendations made by the SIU was that ‘’Based on the findings in respect of the irregularities highlighted as per the payment bundles received, the SIU would recommend that disciplinary action be instituted against all officials responsible for the adjudication of the various quotations received.’’
The Star
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