It was noted that while the committee was able to continue its hearings, the issue of whether the committee has the necessary power to call upon the Department of Health to account is an issue that should be resolved via court processes. In this regard I must also mention that summons was issued for the relevant health care officials to present evidence to the committee, but was challenged by the officials from the Department of Health with an urgent interdict citing the alleged lack of power to be subpoenaed by the committee. The committee found that the Department of Labour should play a direct role in resolving two of the issues that were raised in the petition namely: Employment Equity and Occupational Health and Safety. The committee is
also calling upon the Department of Labour, to assist the petitioners to bring the complaints relating to unfair labour practices on the part of the management of KDH to the Public Health and Social Development Sector Bargaining Council for their resolution.
The committee is also of the opinion that the Department of Health is to investigate the complaints raised in the petition, in particular the complaints relating to the mismanagement of funds and corruption on the part of the management of KDH and the harassment, victimisation, bullying and intimidation of staff members by the management. The committee also suggested that the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Scopa, invite officials of KDH to come and account. Broadly speaking, the committee contends that the House assists the petitioners to refer the complaints relating to the poor provision of health care and treatment, the poor and unsatisfactory management of adverse incidents and the poor state of psychiatric care at the hospital to the Office of the Health Ombudsman for further investigation. In this regard, the Office of the Health Ombudsman is to commission a forensic investigation or commission of inquiry aimed at conclusively determining the number of children and adult patients who have died due to the negligence and use of...