Johannesburg - The Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) has still not served Dr Wouter Basson, dubbed “Dr Death”, his new charge sheet, five months since it told the health minister that it would charge him afresh.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, now on special leave, told Parliament in March that the HPCSA had informed him that it was preparing fresh unprofessional conduct proceedings against Basson.
The council’s 2013 findings that Basson’s role in the apartheid regime’s chemical and biological warfare amounted to unprofessional conduct could not be sustained following legal wrangles.
The statutory body told Mkhize it was due to convene a new professional conduct committee to preside over a fresh inquiry against Basson.
“The HPCSA is preparing to commence these proceedings against Dr Basson afresh,” Mkhize said in a reply to written parliamentary questions in March.
Mkhize’s reply came amid a public outcry over why Basson continued to practise. It emerged he was a specialist cardiologist at a Mediclinic-owned private hospital in Cape Town.
Basson remained legally entitled to practise because he was not debarred, Mkhize pointed out.
The Star can reveal that Basson was yet to be served the sheet detailing his charges, nor has the professional conduct committee to preside over the proceedings been set up.
The newspaper sent the HPCSA questions on the matter two weeks ago and it replied last Thursday.
HPCSA spokesperson Christopher Tsatsawane said the council had got the ball rolling in the matter, but the requisite professional conduct committee still needed to be appointed.
“The status is that the appointed proforma complainant is ready to proceed with the charge sheet and notice.
“However the chairperson of the Medical and Dental Professional Board must appoint a new professional conduct committee that will preside over the disciplinary inquiry,” Tsatsawane told The Star.
Charges had been drafted and would be sent to Basson after the presiding committee was set up, he said.
“The charges have been formulated but have not been communicated to Dr Basson,” Tsatsawane said.
“There is no challenge on the part of the HPCSA thus far. Once the committee is appointed the process will proceed to the next step of communicating the charges, setting the matter down and preparation for the actual hearing.
“The HPCSA cannot divulge the charges before they are communicated to Dr Basson.”
Basson’s licence to practise would not be suspended once he was charged, the HPCSA said.
“The suspension regulations are applicable in the event that there is evidence that the health-care practitioner’s conduct or practices places the public in danger. In this case that has not been alleged,” said Tsatsawane.
Once started, the proceedings will be public unless there were grounds to have them in camera.
Tsatsawane said: “The disciplinary inquiry is open to the public. However, the applicable regulations allow the committee to have the proceedings in camera under certain circumstances.”
The Star