A Health Professions Council of SA inquiry into Professor Anunathan Reddi, a Durban surgeon who allegedly said Indians had a "coolie" mentality and also told a colleague he had bad odour, has been adjourned to March.
According to a Daily News report, the matter is yet to begin properly and the first person is yet to testify.
The committee spent the first of three days set down for the inquiry deliberating as to whether certain evidence from a CCMA ruling would be allowed to be presented at the inquiry.
The report says Professor Anunathan Reddi, who once headed the cardiothoracic surgery department at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, has been charged with unprofessional conduct towards his colleagues and making derogatory comments about staff at the hospital between 2011 and 2012.
Reddi has since retired but is still a registered doctor with the HPCSA.
The report says the complaint against him was lodged by five specialist cardio-thoracic surgeons – Direndra Rajaruthnam, Kaven Naicker, Gerard Roderick Alexander, Surendra Naidoo and Julian Buckels in 2012. Buckels, who is also retired, is set to testify first.
He is expected to take the stand in March.
The report says in June 2013, University of KwaZulu Natal terminated Reddi’s employment. He had been employed as a professor and a similar complaint had been lodged against him.
He was dismissed and took the matter to CCMA.
The report says the CCMA ruled on the matter last week and the HPCSA pro forma complainant Advocate Meshack Mapholisa had then asked the CCMA judgment to be made available as part of the evidence.
[link url="https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/case-against-durban-surgeon-accused-of-using-coolie-slur-postponed-19196923"]Daily News report[/link]