Manto 'must probe Council'
2005-10-24 20:45
Pretoria - Education and health union Nehawu appealed to Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang on Monday to probe allegations of nepotism and corruption at the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA).
"We have given the HPCSA's Executive Committee (Exco) a list of the issues which we would like the minister to look into and take action on. Exco is currently in a meeting looking over the issues which include corruption and nepotism," said Lehase Pule, Nehawu's regional officer for Tshwane.
He said Nehawu represented the majority of HPCSA employees.
One of the requests made to the minister, was for the dismissal of Tshepo Boikanyo, senior manager of the HPCSA's legal department.
"Mr Boikanyo has been reported in the papers as being the legal representative of Khethiwe Khubeka of Kaya FM. How is it that he works at two different jobs?
"Does he have a private consultancy and is he paying tax on his salary at his second job?"
Pule questioned whether Boikanyo had declared his private interests to the council and questioned whether his actions were in line with the principles of corporate governance.
Boikanyo was also accused of abusing his annual leave while HPCSA employees were refused study leave and forced to take annual leave to attend their academic classes.
Nehawu requested the minister probe the appointment of Marion Green-Thompson as the HPCSA's chief operations officer.
Nehawu alleged Green-Thompson had been the minister's personal assistant and that she did not have the required qualification for the post. It further alleged Thompson-Green's father had been a member of Exco and the KwaZulu-Natal health department.
Pule said it was recommended to Tshabalala-Msimang that the Scorpions investigate the issues raised.
"Nehawu also requests as a matter of urgency, the re-instatement of human resources manager Nthabiseng Mputhi. She is being a scapegoat as a result of the corruption, inefficiency and incompetency at the HPCSA," said Pule.
HPCSA public relations manager Anina Steele said the council had received a memorandum from Nehawu containing "certain demands".
"These demands are currently being considered by the HPCSA human resources and remuneration committee," said Steele.
- SAPA