Durban - Allegations of racism and bullying in the surgery department of two Pietermaritzburg hospitals have prompted health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu to send a senior official to a meeting with hospital senior management.
At least four medical officers - three have since left Greys and Edendale Hospitals - claim that the “toxic” environment has demoralised newly qualified doctors.
The doctors alleged that white, Indian and coloured doctors looked down on their fellow black doctors.
“During my first month as a medical officer at Greys in 2016, I could not believe the attitude by white specialists and registrars and consultants (supervisors). During presentations our supervisors would make discouraging remarks and tell us that we were not good enough to be doctors. At one presentation a consultant told me that I was useless as a doctor. Other juniors with different skin tones and hair would be treated differently and would be praised during the same presentations. We could never do the right thing, and only those with different skin colour were the best - at least in the eyes of those ruthless racists. This is direct doctor-to-doctor abuse, and it’s psychologically draining,” said one doctor.
The treatment was not only confined to presentations and execution of their duties. The doctors alleged that they were also deprived of time off which was rightfully theirs.
“When I resigned I was refused a day due to me to relocate to another facility. It was the human resources intervention that rescued me and I got the day off. Early in 2018 a friend was admitted to hospital after a short illness. The head of department phoned the friend and forced her to find someone to stand in for her. How cruel can you be to do that to someone lying in a hospital bed? Such treatment is not meted out to doctors of other races,” she said.
Another source said the treatment and environment doctors were exposed to led to a loss of self-esteem. She said it was embarrassing to arrive at a new workplace and be on the defensive due to past experiences.
“If your senior tells you that you won’t make it as a doctor, you are definitely going to be disturbed. Those two hospital complexes are messed up, thanks to racists and bullies. From the HOD, specialists, registrars to interns - all are twisted-minded. Before I left in 2018 we used to sit according to our racial groups, and only us blacks were isolated. My mother is diabetic and around December 2016, she was admitted in ICU. When I signed a day off to look after her, I was made to work Christmas and New Year, something that doesn’t happen to others,” said the doctor.
On September 18, doctors who are still at Greys and Edendale hospitals wrote an email to the hospital management, requesting an intervention. The matter had since reached MEC Simelane-Zulu’s office.
Department spokesperson Noluthando Nkosi said: “The department is aware of the matter and views it in an extremely serious light. Racism, just like apartheid, is a crime against humanity and goes against the basic tenets of democracy. It has no place in this department.
" According to the hospital CEO, these matters had not been brought to his attention - as per normal workplace grievance registration protocol - until recently. He has already had an engagement with certain staff members about it.