Uncaring DA must explain major failure

29 September 2016

The ANC Western Cape says the DA-run provincial government does not care for poor and ordinary people as this is again evident in the court case of a consultant doctor that is suspected of several patient rapes.

The contracted medical doctor (46) appeared in court after a woman (26) was allegedly raped last week at a Nyanga clinic. It came to light that there may be three more similar complaints reported in Mitchells Plain during 2014 and that the doctor could not practise medicine as his licence expired.

The ANC Western Cape health spokesperson (Rev.) Dorothea Gopie says: “The provincial health department has a lot to explain in this matter. Who vetted this doctor, why was his services retained even after the initial complaints and why was he allowed to practise illegally for six months?

“The ANC is very worried that the province fails patients by not properly checking on such vital workers as medical practitioners. The provincial department now attempts to divorce itself from the case by saying ties with the hired agency has been cut. But why were his background not scrutinised, information not regularly updated and the expiry date of a health professionals council licence not kept current?

“The ANC will examine this issue through the oversight mechanisms in the legislature, but expect the DA government led by premier Helen Zille to come clean by taking the public into its confidence about this major failure.”

Issued by Cobus Crobler on behalf of the ANC Western Cape, 29 September 2016