Sex, jobs scandal at hospital
SOME women employees claim they have been forced to sleep with a senior manager in a sex-for-jobs scandal that has rocked Soweto’s Bheki Mlangeni Hospital.
The investigation has also revealed that most of the women had paid corrupt officials varying amounts to be employed at the facility.
At least five women currently working at the hospital in Jabavu have apparently slept with the human resources officer (whose name is known to the Cape Times sister paper, The Star) at the centre of the scandal, allegedly to secure jobs, while others were allegedly fired for rejecting his advances.
The alleged sex predator’s modus operandi was to target female colleagues facing disciplinary action for having paid to acquire their jobs. He would then take advantage of their anxiety at the possibility of losing their jobs by allegedly demanding sex from them in order to avoid going through the disciplinary process.
Early this year, the department launched an investigation into the alleged selling of jobs at this hospital in which five employees were implicated. However, it is still unknown how the investigation concluded.
One former manager admitted to The Star of being involved in getting her relatives and friends onto the hospital’s payroll while hundreds of legitimate applications were pushed to the side.
“We saw people in management, doctors and HR officers doing it, so we also joined in. More than 100 people from cleaners to clerks bought their jobs and some have since been dismissed after they refused to sleep with him.”
Human resources manager Getrude Ntsoane and supervisor Khaya Mpikashe were named in the saga.
The manager allegedly used his position to target employees and, in some cases, trump up charges against vulnerable women staffers.
Although Mpikashe denied accepting cash for a job yesterday, she admitted being investigated for nepotism and disciplined for misconduct. Ntsoane failed to respond. Gauteng Health Department spokesperson Prince Hamnca confirmed the hospital haf handled 192 cases of misconduct since it opened in 2014, including sex-for-jobs and jobs-for-cash allegations.
“The employees were charged for various misdemeanours. Due to employee/ employer relationship we cannot divulge more information.
“They include managers, supervisors, doctors, nurses, administrative clerks, porters, cleaners, laundry and food service assistants,” said Hamnca.
He said Godfrey Sipho Sibiya, a lawyer representing five implicated employees, was arrested in April for offering a R50 000 bribe to the investigating officer.