Cape Town - The Western Cape Health Department has concluded its internal review
process against three doctors accused of stealing two broken chairs from Tygerberg Hospital.
Upon consideration, Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo has set aside the dismissal of Dr Mathew de Swardt, who has been reinstated.
“The dismissal was replaced with
a final written warning,” said
Mbombo’s spokesperson Nomawethu Sbukwana. She said the suspensions of the other two doctors, Kim Ablort-Morgan and Abdurragmaan Domingo, had
also been substituted with final
written warnings.
This comes after the doctors, studying anaesthesiology at the hospital, reportedly removed the chairs to have them refurbished for use in the staff room.
The doctors said verbal permission was given for them to remove the chairs from the hospital.
However, that led to the dismissal of De Swardt, while Ablort-Morgan and Domingo were given written warnings and sanctioned to periods of a month and a fortnight’s unpaid leave, respectively.
Meanwhile, the SA Society of Anaesthesiologists said the Western Cape Health Department needed to launch an urgent investigation into the disciplinary process.
Tygerberg Hospital spokesperson Laticia Pienaar said the doctors had the right to lodge a dispute with the Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council.
@SISONKE_MD