The North West Health Department has suspended three senior officials at its Tswaing sub-district office in Delareyville. The officials, who include the sub-district manager, allegedly withheld vaccines from black patients at a local vaccination site, saying they were out of stock.
They then allegedly mobilised members of the local white community for vaccination. Departmental Spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, says the department views the allegations in a very serious light.
“The department is of the view that this was segregation because the vaccines there have been available at the said sub-district. Now to say that there are no vaccines and for people to be returned. Now in terms of the public service regulations, the officials have been suspended,” says Lekgethwane.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), has weighed in on the matter with its Provincial Secretary is Patrick Makhafane saying the allegations are very serious.
“When people cannot get vaccination on the basis of their colour, it’s a very serious matter to us. We are actually struggling to distinguish between that what they have done and the deliberate act to try and actually murder other races. So it’s a matter that we are going following up to the latter and ensure that the department acts and acts accordingly on this particular matter,” says Makhafane.
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