Johannesburg – UCT has thrown a ring of silence around racism claims amid allegations of a crude email from celebrated spinal surgeon Professor Robert Dunn in the orthopaedic department at world-renowned Groote Schuur Hospital, in which he referred to postgraduate students in the plastic surgery department as the “clinic bitch”.
While not referring to anyone specifically, Dunn sent the message to staff referring to the person who rotates between departments providing general clinic duties as the “clinic bitch”, according to the orthopaedic roster which also contains surgeons from surgical sub-divisions.
Some members have complained to the university which is investigating the use of sexist language.
Dunn, head of orthopaedic surgery at UCT, Groote Schuur, and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, allegedly said there was no harm meant, defending it as a comment like saying “life’s a bitch” for the person on this roster.
Many women in the department were upset when Dunn labelled the “female rotation a bitches roster” prompting a complaint to Professor Graham Fieggan and human resources director Mercy Lazarus – both of whom have yet to act against Dunn.
However, the matter is being investigated by the university, whose vice-chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng is currently leading Women’s Month celebrations with a host of activities.
It is not the only allegation of a derogatory email doing the rounds – a staff member has claimed the same medic allegedly referred to postgraduate students in the plastic surgery department as “black bitches” in another email, which was subsequently recalled but not before staff members took a screen shot of it.
Dunn denied knowledge of the “black bitches” email and said he would like to see the screen shot.
On Friday morning during a meeting of all clinical departments at Groote Schuur, staff were warned disciplinary action would be taken should anyone discuss matters relating to questions raised, extensively, on campus by The Sunday Independent “about a racial matter which portrays UCT and Groote Schuur Hospital in a bad light”.
But the university’s attempts to muzzle speech under the guise of confidentiality did not prevent people from engaging anonymously, given the fears of reprisals in view of the recent ombud report, which depicted Phakeng as a bully, following complaints by 37 individuals - also being swept under the carpet.
The university still does not have a bullying policy, and Phakeng allegedly, according to many staff members, sets the tone for senior academics, particularly in the clinical studies, to treat staff, especially people of colour, with varying degrees of racism, knowing that no action will be taken against them. Dunn said he would prefer not to be drawn into the matter publicly.
Only a handful of black African students are employed in the hospital out of around 80 staff, while all 10 departments within the hospital are headed by whites with alleged misconduct cases against white medics rarely pursued.
Some postgraduate students within UCT in highly established surgical units have been degraded – in public settings – to being called “domestic” or “housewives”. This being an indication that the system believes they are capable of insulting others openly and facing no reprimand.
Several doctors at Groote Schuur, famous for cardiac surgeon Dr Chris Barnard who performed the world’s first human-to-human heart transplant operation here, have ganged up against one of the students to get her fired using patient care as an excuse, in addition to a litany of other efforts.
The trumped-up charges relating to poor management of a patient in one instance where she conducted a procedure without supervision but was chastised for the alleged error which they sent to her via WhatsApp.
After requesting the files, she only received it four weeks later, said Busobengwe Magadla, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union Ikapa South regional chairperson.
In general, Magadla said there was a significant number of complaints from staff who complained about discrimination between both the hospital and the university.
Phakeng did not respond to questions about the “black bitches” claim nor why Dunn was protected, but UCT said in a statement, it was serious about allegations of racism and sexism and has processes in place to address them.
Sunday Independent