Woman demands position she never got

A FORMER administrative assistant who didn’t get the job she had filled on a contract basis for four years has cried foul and wants to be reinstated.

Pat Holmes, who said she worked at Groote Schuur Hospital from 2011 to 2015 on a rolled out contract, said she had been confident about getting the job based on her outstanding performance appraisals rating and bonuses she had received on three occasions.

According to Holmes, the position of senior administrative assistant was first advertised in June 2015 as a permanent position.

She applied, but was unsuccessful. She was informed her CV wasn’t adequately written.

“The position was re-advertised as a contract and then again as permanent. I didn’t make the shortlist.

“When performance appraisals come out my rating was outstanding and I received a bonus, which meant they couldn’t find fault with my work.

“When the post was advertised the last time I was no longer employed by GSH and wasn’t aware of the latest advertisement.

“The post was given to a worker in the department. I believe the post was advertised so many times to favour a certain applicant,” she said.

Holmes raised her objections with GSH management and after an unsatisfactory response she submitted a list of allegations of nepotism and corruption, and requested an investigation.

“A report that came out in December 2017 after two-and-a-half years. Investigations revealed 11 case of malpractice. They refused to hand me a copy of the report.

“I approach Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo. I got a letter from her where she admits that there was malpractice in the recruitment and selection department,” she said.

As a last resort, Holmes took the matter to the bargaining council in 2015/16 for conciliation.

She said she was offered a threemonth payment, but she refused “because of the bigger picture”.

Colleen Smart, spokesperson for Mbombo, said the matter was investigated and resolved, including by the province’s Forensic Investigation Unit.

“Our department’s advice to Holmes is that she needs to engage with these responses to her from these investigations.”

Said Holmes: “I want reinstatement and if the department doesn’t reinstate me I want to be paid from the day I left till the day I retire, as well as damages for what I suffered all these years.”

Our department’s advice to Holmes is that she needs to engage with the investigation’s responses

Colleen Smart

Health MEC spokesperson