Aids doctor to go to Labour Court
2002-07-22 18:01
Nelspruit - Dismissed medical superintendent of the Rob Ferreira Provincial Hospital in Nelspruit, Dr Thys von Mollendorff, said on Monday he will be taking the Mpumalanga Health Department to the Labour Court.
Von Mollendorff received a certificate to go to the Labour
Court, saying it was "impossible to conciliate at the meeting with the Public Service Health Sectorial Bargaining Council today
(Monday)".
A mediator from the Council, including representatives from the department, and von Mollendorf met in Nelspruit.
He was fired in February by the Mpumalanga health department for allowing the Greater Nelspruit Rape Intervention Project, an
institution that provided free anti-retrovirals to rape survivors, to operate at the hospital.
In a disciplinary hearing, the department found Von Mollendorff guilty of gross insubordination. In May, Von Mollendorff lost his appeal. He apparently never received a date for his appeal.
Speaking to Sapa, the doctor said: "We discussed the way forward but there seemed to be no conciliation whatsoever.
"Now at least I will have legal representation and we can really go forward. If I can just get an impartial hearing the outcome may be positive. And I have full confidence in our legal system."
Von Mollendorff said his lawyers would be submitting the
certificate shortly to the court.
Health department spokesperson John Mlangeni said the Public
Service Health Sectorial Bargaining Council was an independent body and the health department did not "control it".
"Basically there was no progress made at today's (Monday's)
meeting. Our decision was made and it stands... We will wait for Dr
von Mollendorf to take the next step."
- SAPA