ON MONDAY and Tuesday, gatvol doctors at a government mortuary stopped working.
The doctors at the Diepkloof mortuary in Soweto were protesting against the reinstatement of Dr James Mwesigwa.
In November 2013, Mwesigwa was suspended after being accused of trying to walk out of the mortuary with a bucket that had stolen organs in it – allegedly a brain and a heart.
But on Monday the doctor, whose case has still not been closed, was back at work and shocked doctors refused to welcome their colleague back.
Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Health spokesman, said he was outraged that the disciplinary case was taking over a year to be sorted out.
He said the delay in completing the disciplinary process was also leading to unnecessary spending by the department of health.
“Dr Mwesigwa has received more than R1 million while being suspended on full pay for 16 months,” said Bloom.
“Desecrating the dead is a very serious matter and Mwesigwa should not have been allowed to return to the mortuary unless he was found innocent.”
By Wednesday the doctors were back at work as usual.
The Gauteng Health Department said “The department wishes to dismiss allegations that today, at Diepkloof mortuary, there was a strike by doctors and workers
“Staff at this facility were surprised to see their supervisor who had come back to work following a court interdict against the department. The said principal specialist was suspended pending finalisation of disciplinary processes but approached the courts to interdict the department.
“The department will continue with disciplinary hearings from 20-22 April.”
