The Medical and Dental Professions Board (MDPB) has reportedly recalled Simon Nemutandani, president of the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) – meaning he is automatically removed as president of the council, but unions say the sanction doesn't go far enough.
A source said a meeting was scheduled for this week for the HPCSA to elect a replacement.
The MDPB, of which Nemutandani as a dentist is a member, has 33 members: 22 voted in favour of his recall while nine were against the motion and two abstained.
The recall follows a damning forensic investigation that found Nemutandani was paid R910 550 for attending board and subcommittee meetings between December 2020 and July 2021 while employed by the Gauteng Health Department, reports News24.
As a state employee he was not entitled to these fees and was subsequently summoned to a disciplinary hearing. However, he challenged the HPCSA’s jurisdiction to discipline him and refused to co-operate with the investigation.
The probe, completed in February 2022, confirmed he had not declared the income during his tenure as an HPCSA board member while being employed by the Gauteng Health Department.
The investigation was triggered by allegations of financial impropriety levelled against him by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) in a letter sent to Health minister Joe Phaahla and the SA Medical Association (SAMA).
SAMA had referred the allegations to the HPCSA for further investigation.
Last week, Nehawu said it was not entirely satisfied with his recall, calling it a slap on the wrist considering the seriousness of the transgressions.
The union’s HPCSA branch deputy chairperson Advocate Ntsane Mathibela said though the recall meant Nemutandani would lose certain powers, he was still a member of the MDPB. This meant that, despite facing serious ethical and misconduct allegations, he would continue disciplining other dentists.
“The MDPB has acted, but the council itself is not acting. The HPCSA is supposed to suspend (him) altogether, in the same way he has been suspending other people from other (professional) boards. He is supposed to be suspended while an investigation is conducted. But the council is not doing that because he is one of their own.
“He is facing a professional conduct inquiry into his ethics as a dentist. But at the same time, he is a member of the board that is presiding over that (process). It cannot be.”
Nemutandani did not respond to a request for comment.
Last week he made headlines after being accused of misusing the statutory body’s credit card by racking up hefty bills in fancy restaurants and fast-food outlets. Between January 2022 and March last year, he allegedly blew R122 000, with R21 000 spent on restaurants and takeaways.
News24 article – Simon Nemutandani, president of the HPSA, recalled by MDPB (Restricted access)
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