The South African Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu) wants the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) to suspend its registrar, Dr Magome Masike.
This comes after the HPCSA, in a correspondence penned by complaints handling and investigation head Kwena Mabasa, revealed in December that Magome has been fined R18 000 for disgraceful and improper conduct.
Mabasa, in the letter, writes that following a meeting on November 13 and 14, the HPCSA’s “fourth medical committee of preliminary inquiry committee resolved that there was evidence of unprofessional conduct on the part of Dr Masike in terms of Regulation 4(9) of regulations relating to the conduct of enquiries into alleged unprofessional conduct under the Health Professions Act 56 of 1974”.
As a result, the committee decided to fine Masike R10 000 under the Health Professions Act “for improper and disgraceful conduct relating to communication in that the practitioner, as the principal officer of the HPCSA organisation, failed to properly communicate with the stakeholder and made a disparaging remark about colleagues”, according to Mabasa.
The committee also resolved to impose as a penalty an additional fine of R8 000 in terms of the Health Professions Act for improper and disgraceful conduct relating to the reputation of colleagues in that the practitioner made disparaging remarks about colleagues.
Samatu, however, feels that the fine is a slap on the wrist and is not pleased about it.
The labour union has accused Masike, the former MEC for health in the North West, of misconduct after the HPCSA did not send representatives to a conference in 2024.
Dr Cedric Sihlangu, the general secretary of Samatu, wrote to the HPCSA on January 6 to express dissatisfaction with the “lenient” sanction imposed on Masike.
He demanded that he be suspended rather than fined.
Complaint escalated to minister’s office
Samatu claimed that the HPCSA had shown “no professional courtesy as to reasons why the invite could not be honoured” by failing to send representatives to a medical registrar’s Indaba at Wits University Medical School in March 2024
He noted that Samatu then got in touch with Professor Simon Nemutandani, the HPCSA’s president at the time, to ask why the organisation was not approachable and willing to speak with regular doctors who had business-related concerns.
Samatu said Nemutandani directed the union to address its concerns with the registrar.
According to Sihlangu, they wrote a letter to Nemutandani requesting a meeting to discuss the problems facing the health profession and the HPCSA’s absence from the indaba because they were unable to get an explanation from the organisation.
Samatu also followed up with Masike via another letter on July 16 regarding the meeting request, but the union never heard back, he said.
Samatu eventually lodged a complaint, pointing to misconduct against the registrar, with the office of Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.
The union expressed its serious concerns about the HPCSA’s lack of professionalism in handling matters that impact the healthcare system in a letter to Motsoaledi dated August 14.
Samatu claimed that Masike had dismissed the union by allegedly stating that the issues it brought up were the responsibility of the Medical and Dental Professions Board and that the HPCSA had not attended an indaba.
Masike stated that he would not entertain them further, the union informed Motsoaledi.
Open-door policy
“As mandated by the act, the registrar performs secretariat duties to the professional boards and has repeatedly failed, neglected his duties, and continues to act with impunity,” protested Samatu in the letter.
“It is simply unacceptable that an incumbent of such a central and vital office established by statute can single-handedly frustrate proper coordination and communication with the HPCSA by the public and affected persons.
“This is in direct conflict with Section 3(l) of the act, which requires the HPCSA to be transparent and accountable to the public in achieving its objectives and when performing its functions and exercising its powers.
“Samatu therefore demands decisive disciplinary action to be taken against the registrar of the HPCSA based on the above.”
Priscilla Sekhonyana, a spokesperson for HPCSA, refuted claims that they ignored the medical registrar’s conference.
“The HPCSA did not refuse to have a meeting with Samatu as alleged. There is no hostile relationship between the HPCSA and Samatu,” Sekhonyana said.
“The HPCSA has an open-door policy as it relates to all its stakeholders, and Samatu is afforded the same and equal treatment as is afforded to all its stakeholders.
“The HPCSA cannot comment further as the matter is still being dealt with internally.”
