Department demands apology
THE Eastern Cape department of health has demanded that members of parliament clarify or retract statements attributed to them in a report published by the Daily Dispatch yesterday.
A task team, organised by parliament and headed by Dr Bevan Goqwana and standing committee chairperson on appropriation, Mshiyeni Sogoni, is currently in the province to monitor multimillion rand projects funded by the national government.
On Wednesday, in a meeting at Nelson Mandela Academic hospital, the MPs were not happy over the absence of the two senior health officials, MEC Sicelo Gqobana and superintendentSiva Pillay, who were accused of snubbing the parliamentary meeting held in Mthatha on Wednesday.
Instead, senior managers and Eastern Cape Legislature health portfolio members attended.
The provincial health department issued a statement yesterday and provided the Daily Dispatch with proof that Gqobana and Pillay were not specifically called to the meeting by the standing committee on appropriations and the health portfolio.
“We’ve noted with grave concern the accusations that health MEC Sicelo Gqobanam and his superintendentgeneral, Dr Siva Pillay, (are) ‘disresp We reject these allegations and view them as a deliberate attack to both offices,” a statement issued by the department said.
However, Sogoni said they had expected both the MEC and superintendentto attend.
“We are not going to discuss this in the media but they were expected there . . . we will engage with them and discuss this,” Sogoni said.
Health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the department had received communication from both Sogoni and Goqwana informing them of their visit.
“We wish to set the record straight in an attempt to clear the names of the two individuals. The department received a communication from the chairperson of the portfolio committee on health, Dr Goqwana, informing the MEC about the committee’s planned visit to ‘Sulenkama’ hospital in Qumbu. This clearly stated ‘the department should inform the said institution about the visit’.
“There is no invitation extended to the MEC or SG for them to attend the visit,” he said. Kupelo said a second communication from Sogoni regarded a planned visit to Reitvlei Hospital, a KwaZulu-Natal hospital, and another visit to O R Tambo district, which had been identified for a NHI pilot.
“In this, the department was requested to send one or two officials to accompany the committee – again no request for the MEC or SG to attend,” Kupelo said.
“The department respects the work of parliament and its oversight role, this is illustrated by the fact that senior officials at the level of chief directors were dispatched to Mthatha to meet with committee members during the visits.
“The department will also take the matter up with relevant authorities and register its unhappiness about these unfortunate attacks made in the media.
“This is regarded as an assault not only to the department but on the two individuals who have been projected as irresponsible figures in charge of public health in this province.
“It must also be clear that MEC Ggobana and Pillay were not in the legislature as it is reported, they were attending a cabinet meeting with the premier,” Kupelo said. — bonganif@