Basson baffled by student outrage

WOUTER Basson says he has not had a complaint from any of the Stellenbosch University medical students he taught, and does not understand the controversy surrounding his involvement with them.

University students have refused to be taught by Basson, the man known as “Dr Death” for the role he played as the head of a top-secret chemical and biological warfare project during the apartheid era.

It emerged this week that Basson, now a practising cardiologist, was teaching select groups of fourth-year medical students who were on clinical rotation at Durbanville’s Mediclinic.

In 2013, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) found Basson guilty on four charges of conduct.

The university has, however, distanced itself from the employment of Basson and said he was not appointed or employed by the faculty of medicine and health sciences.

Yesterday Basson said: “I have no idea what all the fuss is about. I teach many groups of people and have received no complaints at all over the years from any of my students. My lectures are a given – the attendees do so of their own volition.”

But the Tygerberg student council chairman, Nick Wayne, said the council stood by its call that no student should be taught by Basson. However, he repeated that students taught by Basson were not forced to take his class.

“There were students who

unprofessional did not want to be taught by him. Students are uncomfortable and feel he should not be practising, let alone teaching,” he said.

Wayne said lecturers instilled certain qualities of themselves in their students, which was a concern for many, along with Basson’s lack of remorse and his involvement in apartheid warfare.

“The students also felt excluded, not getting the same teaching as others because they did not feel comfortable being taught by Basson.”

University spokesman Martin Viljoen said that after Basson was found guilty by the HPCSA, the faculty withdrew his accreditation last year.

Since then Basson had not been involved in the training or supervision of students in any official capacity.