The DA is shocked that the provincial Health Department has attempted to cover up a “sex for jobs” scandal that has been reported at Rob Ferreira Hospital in the City of Mbombela.
According to reports, two women came forward, accusing an official of promising them jobs at the hospital in exchange for sexual favours. The women were sexually exploited at the official’s Kanyamazane home for the past seven years under the illusion that they would soon land employment at Rob Ferreira Hospital but those jobs have not materialised.
Media reports state that the Health Department has allegedly classified this matter as private and also claimed that the women consented to sexual relations with the official for him to secure them employment at the hospital.
Not only is the Department’s claim absurd but it also puts all liability on the victims instead of suspending the accused official and conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. The official clearly abused his position of power over these women to manipulate them into sexual relations that they would most likely have not partaken in out of their own will.
Mpumalanga province currently has an unemployment rate of 42.5%, the highest iT has been in the past 5 years. This coupled with the fact that the provincial Health Department is on the brink of collapse and has not been able to effectively employ and retain healthcare workers has contributed to the desperation of job seekers.
Women desperately seeking employment are particularly at risk of being sexually exploited by perverted officials who see them as nothing more than sex objects for their personal pleasure.
We will write an urgent letter to Health MEC, Sasekani Manzini, asking her to urgently address these claims instead of attempting to protect an official accused of taking advantage of women’s desperation for employment.
We will continue to monitor this situation until justice is served for these women.