DA: Don't bury Frere report

2010-07-18 22:22

Johannesburg - The DA on Sunday questioned why the manager of East London's Frere Hospital Luvuyo Mosana, who was alleged to have tried to cover up a baby deaths' debacle at the hospital, was not being held accountable.

This came after the party received a response to a letter it wrote to the Public Service Commission (PSC) in 2007 regarding Mosana's alleged irregular behaviour and "incompetence", said Democratic Alliance spokesperson Mike Waters.

"It took the PSC three years to respond to the letter... It reveals that the investigation by the PSC into Mosana has been completed but that Eastern Cape Health MEC Phumulo Masualle has received the report and has done nothing with it.

"The MEC, in other words, has stalled the investigation, by simply sitting on the PSC report."

Waters said the PSC's reply stated that due to the need to seek further legal guidance, the PSC could not make its findings public.

"In essence, the report will remain a secret."

Exposé

A Daily Dispatch exposé revealed that hundreds of newborn babies were dying at the hospital every year. It led to the dismissal of then deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, who declared the situation at Frere a national emergency, and medical superintendent, Nokuzola Ntshona, who had blown the whistle on the affair.

Waters said no action had been taken against Mosana, a former ANC councillor, whom he claimed had no medical or managerial qualifications.

"Why is it that the individual most intimately involved in attempts to cover up the Frere debacle has still not been the subject of any sanctions?

"He was shielded from any punishment."

Waters asked how the public would be certain that MEC Masualle was following the recommendations of the investigation if they did not know what it had found.

Won't report to DA 

Masualle's spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said it was malicious and mischievous for the DA to accuse the MEC of not acting on the report because the department had received it less than a week ago.

"It has recommendations that we are already working on. The PSC has also given us timeframes to report back to them.

"We will not report to the DA," said Kupelo.

He said the department would not "entertain" any calls to make the report public.

"Ours is to act on its recommendation, not to publish it."

- SAPA