NEHAWU DEEPLY APPALED BY NETCARE'S CONTRAVENTION OF THE HUMAN TISSUE ACT

NEHAWU is deeply disturbed and appalled by the latest revelations showing that Netcare KwaZulu has been performing illegal kidney transplants and has repeatedly contravened the Human Tissue Act in order to make huge profits. The union demands harsher action and is disturbed that the criminal charges against the company were dropped because they pleaded guilty.

This is an abortion of justice and it shows that our justice system is like a toothless puppy against those with money and this action is sending a wrong message that as long as you can pay you can get away with the most atrocious acts in our country.

We have been vindicated in our call for the immediate implementation of the NHI and our opposition to the commodification of the health sector because we believe that sick people are not commodities to be exploited by the capitalists. Netcare's immoral and criminal behavior shows us that private health company's primary concern is not to improve and provide quality healthcare to South Africans but how much money they can make from the plight of the sick and poor people.

We have always maintained that health provision is a constitutional right for all South Africans and by continuing with the unworkable and wasteful two tier system the state is delegating its responsibility to the selfish and greedy business sector. Revelations about the shenanigans of Netcare are a grim reminder of how brutal and immoral the capitalists are and that if left unchallenged they will not think twice about decapitating the poor people in the name of profits.

NEHAWU as a transformative union is calling for the immediate implementation of the NHI without the Public Private Partnerships {PPP's} because the private sector has got no role in the management and operations of health institutions.

The NHI system will address the disparity that has resulted in South Africa being one of the most unequal societies in the world by making sure that the poor access free healthcare at the point of delivery whether they are employed or not. It will also ensure that we do not have private health mafia groups conducting clandestine criminal operations turning our country into a jungle where anarchy rules. 

The only reason that makes private health companies to oppose the NHI is that it threatens their economic interest and will stop them from getting away with their immoral mafia style operations like trading with human body parts and other criminal schemes that they run.

Statement issued by Sizwe Pamla, NEHAWU Media Liaison Officer, November 10 2010

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