Medical Registrar violation: MEC Dhlomo should stop subterfuge and hand over DoH recruitment policy

28 January 2019

The Democratic Alliance has submitted a Public Access to Information Application (PAIA) (view here) to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health (DoH) in a bid to force MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo to hand over his Department’s recruitment policy.

The move comes after the DA, earlier this month, obtained a copy of a leaked internal circular dated September 2018 alluding to a directive that all 100 posts for 2019 medical registrars in the province be filled with black African candidates only. The circular further claimed that decision was based on an earlier lack of compliance by the DoH in terms of Employment Equity policy.

The DA regards the decision taken by MEC Dhlomo as both discriminatory and highly unethical. Since the discovery of the circular we have made repeated requests to the DoH for a copy of its recruitment policy. These have been ignored.

This information belongs in the public domain and the DA has therefore submitted a Public Access to Information Application to HoD, Dr Musa Gumede. We expect him to comply with our application.

The time has come for MEC Dhlomo to stop his ongoing subterfuge when it comes to the supply of information of any kind from his Department. He has, over the years, demonstrated conduct such as that of the cruel Apartheid government in that he is neither forthcoming with information and has on occasion even lied to the people of KZN.

Once we have the policy, the DA will continue to consult with our legal team in an effort to have this unfair and discriminatory decision over-turned. We also implore every individual affected by this quota system - resulting in their exclusion from accessing opportunities - purely on the basis of their skin colour to approach the Equality Court to lay criminal charges against MEC Dhlomo.  Their action must also include raising the matter with the South African Human Rights Commission.

While the DA fully supports addressing the imbalances of our past and creating a country, economy and job market that is inclusive and free from unfair discrimination, we wholly reject the application of quotas in terms of filling registrar posts. We are committed to ensuring that while equity law exists, that there is no discrimination by total exclusion of entire race groups by the application of quotas.  This is illegal in our view.

The MEC’s decision to ignore all other suitable candidates is also set to have a devastating impact on healthcare service delivery in the months to come.

The people of KZN have already suffered enormously under MEC Dhlomo. The many hundreds who died as a result of inadequate access to oncology treatment is testimony to this. That the MEC now wishes to block perfectly good applicants from filling these critical posts  - thereby further reducing the quality of healthcare – is yet another indication of how little he and the failing ANC government in our province cares.

South Africa’s rich diversity is one of its greatest assets. Commitment to ensuring diversity is also in keeping with what our Constitution affirms - that South Africa belongs to all who live in it.  As such, any attempt to redress the injustices of the past must also ensure that we remain committed to our Constitutional values and ensure that this diversity is represented.

Ours is not yet a fair society and in order for talent to be unleashed, in a fair society, all rights accorded to South Africans within the Bill of Rights must be upheld. There must be no exclusion - especially based on the colour of our skin.  If we allow one of these values to slide, the others will follow.

It is hardly surprising that while President Ramaphosa reassures other race groups in KZN is that they will not be victims of such quota applications - his comrade, MEC Dhlomo - is defying his party president. Such double talk is typical of the ANC - the once liberators, are now the oppressors. The only remedy is to give the ANC the boot at the ballot box in May.

Issued by Imran Keeka, DA KZN Spokesperson on Health, 28 January 2019