SANAC Civil Society Forum’s Women’s Sector is calling for responsible staff members of Motherwell Clinic, to be held accountable for turning away a 15-year-old girl seeking health services, after allegedly being held hostage and gang raped, telling her to go to the police first.
Zenizole Vena from Motherwell, Eastern Cape, reportedly collapsed and died on the floor of Motherwell Police Station’s Community Services Centre in the arms of a woman known only as Sindiswa Ntantiso after being turned away from the clinic.
Silungile Mntambo, Chairperson of SANAC Civil Society Forum’s Women’s Sector says it is totally unacceptable that there are policies in place for survivors of violence and rape, but service providers continuously defy them.
“There is an urgent need to capacitate healthcare workers and police on the urgency of service provision for survivors of violence and rape as they know exactly what is urgent in terms of their health and wellness after such incidents, and it is totally unacceptable that they are sent from pillar to post when they need services”, says Mntambo.
She added that it is crucial that those responsible for disservice to Vena, and all other facilities where such violations occur, be held accountable for their actions, as a matter of urgency.
Sanja Bornman, Gender Law & Policy Specialist says, “What happened here is shameful, and must be met with the harshest disciplinary sanction for those responsible. There is no law that requires a rape victim, or any victim of crime, to go to the police before they can get medical attention.
Reports in the press that a clinic staff member said they ‘don’t deal with rape cases’ are a serious cause for alarm. It makes a mockery of the legal framework on gender-based violence, and the National Strategic Plan on GBVF. Accountability, now!”
Furthermore, Chairperson of SANAC Civil Society Forum Ms Steve Letsike says, “What a shame, and very hurtful process to see in our health system. People must account for this gross violation. This is not acceptable. There can’t be any excuse to deny people access while they are in need. This is pure negligence, and someone must account. People seeking care, and indeed all health care users, need accessible, easily comprehensible, effective ways to even lodge complaints about mistreatment suffered while accessing health services, and getting redress.
The South African health care system faces many challenges that undoubtedly impact health care and services, moreover, failing to provide oversight and accountability to ensure implementation of policies and procedure. Government must pull its act together.”
#ENDS#
For all Media enquiries: Contact: Nthateng Mhlambiso – CSF Communications Officer
Email: nthateng@sanaccsf.org.za Tel: 012 784 1000 Mobile: +27 72 715 5425
Notes to Editors:
The SANAC Civil Society Forum (CSF) is a formal advisory body established in 2012 by the South African National AIDS Council to facilitate the participation of civil society organisations and networks, including those representing People Living with HIV, in the HIV and AIDS and TB within the National HIV response and for the implementation thereof National Strategic Plan (NSP) on
HIV, TB and STI’s through sectors.
The SANAC CSF aims to promote an inclusive, competent, and responsive civil society that effectively serves the needs of the people of the South African communities, by linking and diversifying civil society actors, expanding the sectors and communities where civil society contributes, improving civil society organisations’ operations, and enhancing connections between civil society organisations with their stakeholders and constituents