Pretoria - Calls for the removal of Dr Wouter Basson have been made by some of the country’s most influential sectors, who want him barred from ever practising medicine again.
Basson headed apartheid-era chemical and biological warfare programmes and oversaw the mass production of psycho-active drugs and disorienting substances.
Two online petitions endorsed by 230 medical professionals and 32 civil rights organisations were on Wednesday presented to the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) tribunal hearing the cardiologist’s case.
They were presented by human rights activist and executive director of Section27, Mark Heywood, who was the first witness for the pro forma complainant.
In his evidence in chief, Heywood said the calls came from eminent doctors, cardiologists and paediatricians, the heads of university ethics and medical faculties, and former justices of the constitutional court.
“Petition one involves most respected health professionals, researchers, lecturers and all members of the HPCSA who want Basson removed struck off the medical roll and never be allowed to practise medicine again,” Heywood said.
They called on the HPCSA to give him nothing less than the boot.
They said he had violated his ethics in a very serious manner and had showed no remorse for his actions, nor had be shown insight into the ethically compromised nature of his actions.
The medical health professionals said a slap on the wrist would give Basson impunity for what he had done – and that would be a threat to democracy.
The second petition came from the People’s Health Movement of SA and was endorsed by a string of organisations working in the field of health, medicine, law human rights.
They accused Basson of denialism and failing to show remorse for his actions.
“For too long apartheid agents have gotten away with murder; it is the time to end that now,” an excerpt of the petition read.
The petition comes from organisations, including the SA Medical Association; MSF Doctors Without Borders, The Centre for Applied Legal Studies at Wits, Contralesa and various legal, health and gender organisations.
They said Basson lacked an understanding of right and wrong, and had broken all medical codes, through which doctors instilled a sense of trust among communities.
Basson was found guilty of unprofessional conduct almost a year ago.
Wednesday saw the start of a four-day sitting during which arguments for Basson’s sentencing would be heard.
Among the crimes Basson is said to have committed, was the production of illegal psycho-active drugs on a large scale, equipping mortars with teargas and providing military operatives with disorientating substances to facilitate illegal cross-border kidnappings.
He was also found to have acted unethically by making cyanide capsules available to South African soldiers for suicide purposes to avoid revealing information under torture.
The head of Basson’s legal team, Jaap Cilliers SC, objected to the evidence brought by Heywood and called it “nonsense”.
Cilliers also questioned Heywood’s ability to make such a presentation on behalf of medical professionals, calling him a layman and administrator of petitions.
Heywood was quick to respond, and accused Cilliers of trying to intimidate him.
He said: “I am a rights bearer and consumer of health care,” adding that issues of ethics did not sit only with professionals but with everyone else.
The Constitution under the new dispensation allowed him to question the activities of anyone he chose to, Heywood said, adding that Cilliers did not understand the Constitution.
The families of Mamelodi men who disappeared while going on undercover missions for the liberation movement, only to turn up dead after being tortured by the apartheid government, were present at the hearing.
The hearing continues on Thursday, with the cross-examination of the Heywood by Cilliers.
Other witnesses, including a medical doctor and a justice activist, will testify about the continued calls for Basson’s removal.