Byline: Kelebogile Masemola
09 March 2022
The Mpumalanga Department of Health has suspended a cleaner with immediate effect after a video was seen of her assaulting a patient in Oackley Clinic, Bushbuckridge Local Municipality.
It is alleged that a scuffle ensued when the patient visited the clinic to vaccinate for COVID-19.
It was further alleged that the cleaner assaulted the patient.
This was an accident which was captured on video last year (2021) but only shared on social media recently.
The Department has suspended the worker involved pending an intensive investigation on what really transpired.
Ms Sasekani Manzini who is the MEC for Health in Mpumalanga, had raised concerns about the incident.
“We are in a process of getting all the facts of what transpired during the incident.
“As a Department we cannot condone an assault to anyone let alone patients hence we have suspended the implicated employee with immediate effect pending the outcome of the investigation,” said Ms Manzini.
The Department will decide on the next cause of action once all the facts have been gathered as investigations are currently ongoing.
Whilst the Department is investigating the matter, the MEC has requested everybody to remain calm until all the facts have been gathered.
Further details will be shared as the investigation is ongoing.
