The Eastern Cape Department of Health has suspended a 39-year-old clinical associate, following rape allegations levelled against him by a female patient at Mt Ayliff Hospital on Thursday, December 8.
It is alleged that during a consultation, the clinical associate locked the door in the consulting room and raped the 24-year-old woman while nurses were knocking at the door trying to gain entry.
Due to the seriousness of the allegations, the department decided to take appropriate action with immediate effect. The victim is a known patient who receives services at Mt Ayliff Hospital.
When the incident was reported, the hospital and district management responded swiftly to support the patient and followed all the medical procedures required for such incidents.
The management also engaged the South African Police Services to report the incident.
“What is of serious concern is that the incident is alleged to have taken place within the hospital premises and during the Sixteen Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children,” the department said in a statement.
This is the period when the government calls for prevention and elimination of Gender Based Violence in our country.
As part of the redress process, the victim and her family have been provided with psychosocial support.
Eastern Cape health MEC, Nomakhosazana Meth, condemns reports or allegations of Gender Based Violence and femicide.
“It is even more serious when such incidents are alleged to have occurred within our facilities where patients entrust our officials with their health and confidentiality,” Meth said.
The MEC further instructed the HOD to institute an urgent internal investigation into the allegations.
The department condemns the incident and will continue to cooperate with our law enforcement agencies as they investigate and manage the case to its conclusion.
