Update: Clinic seemingly unfazed by allegations

The question now arises as to whether the staff who were informed about the allegations against Davidsonville Clinic actually passed it on to their superiors.

A resident, Sean Daniels, has made allegations that for the past year and a half service at the clinic has become lax, that staff are lazy and unhelpful, that the operations manageress has “removed his file” and “banned” him from the clinic and that on more than one occasion he

had ugly verbal altercations with her. To top it off she allegedly called the cops on him on 14 September when he refused to leave without his blood pressure medicine. According to Daniels five policemen and two security reaction officers assaulted him.

Last Thursday (15 September) after many failed attempts to contact the clinic for comment telephonically (the phones have not been answered once when the Record called), the Record went to the clinic to discuss the allegations with the operations manageress, albeit without an appointment. On arrival the journalist was told that she was not in on the day. (Daniels also made the allegation that “she is hardly ever there”.) The Record was told that the staff members were not allowed to speak to the press. While in the office at the clinic an email with all the allegations was sent to the staff member who said she could not speak to the media. She promised she would pass the email on to her superior.

It was agreed that the deadline for comment would be Tuesday morning (20 September). By 22 September, a week later, the clinic has still not responded.

The Record contacted the DA councillor for the ward, René Benjamin, to help find out the name of the ‘superior; to whom the staff referred, and it was established that it was Stella Uys, the Manager of District Health Services for Region C. Benjamin said she was aware of the allegations and was going to discuss it with Uys. She said though that she thought it strange that Uys has not responded to the Record’s request for comment because she is “on the ball”. This created the impression that the staff might not have passed the email with the allegations on to Uys. Benjamin said as soon as she got hold of her she would inform her of the newspaper’s request for comment.

At 1.38pm today Benjamin sent the Record an SMS saying she was still trying to get hold of Uys.

Also Read:

Nightmare experience at clinic

Terrible service at Roodepoort clinic

Mashaba: Clinics will be open 24/7