Court sidelines ‘dodgy’ doctor

COUNCIL: COMMITTEE TO HOLD MISCONDUCT HEARING

Judge says protection of public overrides his right to practice.

ANorth West doctor who is under investigation by the Health Professions Council (HPCSA) after a baby girl and two other patients died, has lost his legal bid to keep on practising pending a misconduct hearing.

Judge Sulet Potterill dismissed an application by Dr David Sello of Ikageng in the North West to set aside his suspension pending a hearing by a professional conduct committee.

Sello claimed the process to suspend him had been unfair, impaired his professional status and left him without an income.

Judge Potterill said the complaints against him were extremely serious and the HPCSA had to act to fulfil its duty to protect the unsuspecting public.

She said an investigation had already been launched against Sello about one of five complaints against him prior to the suspension hearing and the chairperson of the suspension committee had been interviewed by eNCA about the complaints.

Sello’s response to eNCA was that he had “no comment” and he also remained completely silent about the complaints in court papers.

Judge Potterill said the protection of the public overrode Sello’s right to practise his profession and the decision to suspend him was just and reasonable under the circumstances.

One of the complainants was Maggy Matlou, whose one-yearold daughter Mbalienhle died at his consulting rooms in January after Sello’s untrained assistant allegedly gave her an injection