Doctor 'blocked' patients, nurses from kidney clinic

A former ANC MP and Eastern Cape health MEC has been accused of locking nurses and patients out of a kidney clinic.

Bevan Goqwana, who has chaired parliamentary committees on health, and science and technology, is embroiled in an Mthatha High Court battle with dialysis provider Alugraph about what it says is the "takeover" of the clinic in the Eastern Cape town.

Goqwana, who qualified as a specialist physician, allegedly locked out nurses, patients and clinic director Zanele Siko.

He is no stranger to controversy. He was acquitted of fraud in 2001 after being accused of running an ambulance service not registered with the Health Professions' Council, and fired as health MEC after a auditor-general's report said R18-billion in expenditure by his department had not been properly accounted for.

He was hauled into court last month after Siko filed an affidavit in which she said she had founded the clinic with three others and invited Goqwana to join the company as a director in July last year.

In his judgment on Tuesday, Acting Deputy Judge-President Selby Mbenenge said: "The complaint central to the application is that [Goqwana] installed a key block on the main door of the premises, thus locking out Ms Siko and other nursing staff.

"When concern for this action was raised with [Goqwana] he removed the key block, paving the way for Ms Siko to perform her nursing duties on that day."

Goqwana denied locking out staff and patients, except for 10 minutes when Siko and others failed to attend a meeting about medication stocks.

Mbenenge referred the matter for hearing this week. Goqwana said his detractors were "abusing my kindness" and it had been proved that he was "a sole proprietor".