Durban - The meeting between KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo and the South African Human Rights Commission began on Monday.
Dhlomo is believed to have attended the meeting accompanied by his department acting head, Dr Musa Gumede, another department official and a legal team.
Dhlomo was subpoenaed to appear before the commission at a hearing on the oncology crisis in the province.
The hearing is held at the commission’s head office in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
According to the commission, the hearing forms part of its investigation into the oncology crisis in KZN which commenced in February 2016 following allegations of violation of the rights of cancer patients to have access to healthcare services at Addington and Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospitals.
In a recent parliamentary reply to questions by the opposition DA, MEC Dhlomo allegedly confirmed that 349 patients died at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital from cancer in 2015 and 2016. A further 150 deaths were reported at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg during the same period.
The numbers, according to the DA at the time, did not account for the patients who died at home and in care facilities.
The story is developing.