jOHANNESBURG – Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has demanded that her confidential medical records be returned to her, and that the Sunday Times retract its “hospital booze binge” article.
Ministerial spokesman Sibani Mngadi told The Citizen yesterday: “The Minister calls upon the Sunday Times to within 24 hours hand over to her all records concerning hospitalisation, medical treatment and condition (including the notes containing such information as well as the comments of various ‘doctors’ in respect of such hospitalisation, treatment and condition).
“A letter of demand in this regard has been sent to the Sunday Times by the Minister’s attorneys.
“The Minister also demands the Sunday Times immediately retract malicious, untrue and injurious statements referred to in the report.”
The weekend newspaper had levelled – in the form of a detailed front-page investigative piece – damning allegations against Tshabalala-Msimang.
The paper claimed that while Tshabalala-Msimang was a patient at a Cape Town Medi-Clinic in 2005 for a shoulder operation, alcohol had been smuggled into her room, and that she had been inebriated on a number of occasions.
The report further alleged Tshabalala-Msimang had exhibited behaviour described as “appalling” and “putrid” and “unbecoming of the national Minister of Health”, towards clinic staff.
“The Minister wishes to state publicly that the report is false, malicious and in contravention of the law. The allegations are clearly defamatory.
“Many of the allegations and insinuations are so bizarre, scandalous, speculative and incredible that the Minister does not wish to dignify them with a response,” Mngadi said.
It was “disturbing” the paper was in possession of Tshabalala-Msimang’s confidential medical records, which constituted an offence.
Mngadi also expressed concerns over the “doctors” who had been given Tshabalala-Msimang’s files to “assess” for the paper.
Speaking on Radio 702, Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya said the paper stood by its story.
He went further, saying the report could have been more damning.
Ministerial spokesman Sibani Mngadi told The Citizen yesterday: “The Minister calls upon the Sunday Times to within 24 hours hand over to her all records concerning hospitalisation, medical treatment and condition (including the notes containing such information as well as the comments of various ‘doctors’ in respect of such hospitalisation, treatment and condition).
“A letter of demand in this regard has been sent to the Sunday Times by the Minister’s attorneys.
“The Minister also demands the Sunday Times immediately retract malicious, untrue and injurious statements referred to in the report.”
The weekend newspaper had levelled – in the form of a detailed front-page investigative piece – damning allegations against Tshabalala-Msimang.
The paper claimed that while Tshabalala-Msimang was a patient at a Cape Town Medi-Clinic in 2005 for a shoulder operation, alcohol had been smuggled into her room, and that she had been inebriated on a number of occasions.
The report further alleged Tshabalala-Msimang had exhibited behaviour described as “appalling” and “putrid” and “unbecoming of the national Minister of Health”, towards clinic staff.
“The Minister wishes to state publicly that the report is false, malicious and in contravention of the law. The allegations are clearly defamatory.
“Many of the allegations and insinuations are so bizarre, scandalous, speculative and incredible that the Minister does not wish to dignify them with a response,” Mngadi said.
It was “disturbing” the paper was in possession of Tshabalala-Msimang’s confidential medical records, which constituted an offence.
Mngadi also expressed concerns over the “doctors” who had been given Tshabalala-Msimang’s files to “assess” for the paper.
Speaking on Radio 702, Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya said the paper stood by its story.
He went further, saying the report could have been more damning.
4 comments:
manto must be kicked out of the position, because her behavior is absolulty bad. any way keep the good work.
hey iam very sad about our minister of health based on the argument that she is an alcoholic. nice blogspot.
i dont belive that this roumer is true because this is our health minister we are talking about. nice blogspot.
Hey Taka's i'm verry disapointed about our Minister of Health when i head that she was drunk alchol,when she was in the hospital.anyway boy your blog is prety keep it up!!!
Post a Comment