More charges for health dept’s ‘whites only’ vaccine accused

The North West health department has slapped three senior officials who allegedly dened Covid vaccines to black people last year with a further charge of misconduct, after the trio rejected their precautionary transfers.

In August the senior officials, including the sub-district manager, were placed on suspension following claims that they denied vaccines to black patients at a local vaccination site, claiming they were out of stock.

The officials then allegedly mobilised members of the local white community for vaccination at the Twasing sub-district’s Delareyville vaccination site.

Provincial health department spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane said the investigation was finalised and their suspension lifted in October 2021.

He said this was done with a view to consult and counsel the accused officials on the next level, the precautionary transfer as the department needed to protect witnesses and ensure that disciplinary proceedings were unhindered.

“The said officials however rejected precautionary transfer, which in itself is a misconduct being insubordination,” Lekgethwane said.

He said the precautionary transfer meant the officials would be transferred to other sections in the department.

Legathwane said their charge sheet will be amended to include the additional charges, and that the appointment of the initiator and presiding officers for the disciplinary proceedings have been finalised.

He explained that the delay was largely due the fact that the presiding officer was from another department and have been awaiting for an official release from the current employer to allow them to focus on this matter.

“However everything is finalised now and the disciplinary proceedings will soon start guided by the findings of the investigation which was concluded last year,” Lekgethwane.

The department has kept the investigation report under wraps as it contents would form part of the disciplinary proceedings.

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) in the province has charged that if true, the officials’ alleged actions would amount to attempted murder, and even murder, if any of those affected contracted Covid-19 and died.

To counter the impact of the whites-only inoculation scandal, the provincial department had to ramp up its Covid vaccine awareness campaign and also appointed an acting sub-district manager to ensure smooth inoculation in Delareyville site.

siphom@citizen.co.za