The Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness is investigating allegations of drinking on duty after two apparently drunk Hanover Park healthcare workers were spotted at a taxi rank last Tuesday and captured on a widely circulated video, reports the Cape Argus.
In the video, one bystander can be heard saying: “Dis daarom wat hulle elke keer die f****** verkeerde pille vir mense gee.” (That is why they keep dispensing the wrong medication.)
A local resident said the man and the woman were reportedly nurses at Hanover Park Community Health Centre.
“People have been talking about how this couple and two other cleaners at the hospital hang out at a nearby tavern during their lunch break.
“We are concerned because these two nurses work in the injection room. They are playing with people’s lives,” the resident said.
The source said the same two workers were spotted at the tavern again on the Friday, despite the video having already circulated online.
“It is clear that they don’t care. By now hospital management should also be aware of the video, so why has no action been taken against them? The service at the hospital is already poor. We cannot be endangering the lives of our people by having drunk workers perform injections and draw blood,” the resident said.
Provincial health spokesperson Samantha Lee-Jacobs said the department was aware of the video.
“The department has initiated an internal review to determine the authenticity of the video, its contents and the circumstances. The department considers allegations of this nature as serious, and appropriate action will be taken after the internal review,” she said.
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