The National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has rejected the proposed return of Dr Thami Mayise as CEO of Durban’s Victoria Mxenge Hospital (formerly King Edward VIII), after allegations of misconduct and workplace bullying against him.
Union secretary Prince Manthane told IOL that the decision to reinstate Mayise posed risks and threatened to undermine the fragile peace at the institution.
In September 2023, Nehawu had submitted a memorandum of demands to the Department of Health, raising concerns about Mayise’s conduct as CEO and calling for accountability for his alleged actions.
An investigation was launched and initial recommendations were that the CEO be removed from his office to allow for an unobstructed inquiry.
However, Manthane said there had been no communication regarding the findings of the probe, and they had only learned last week that Mayise was due to return to work this week.
As members viewed his leadership as detrimental to their working environment, if he returned, “no work is going to be done”, warned the union.
Nehawu said Mayise's return “would reverse the progress made in establishing a co-operative relationship between management and organised labour at the facility”.
Health Department spokesperson Agiza Hlongwane had not responded by the time of publication.
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