Union victorious as CEO is moved

Staff reporter

Bloemfontein – The battle for total control at Phekolong Regional Hospital and Phillip Radebe, Chief Executive Officer has ended with the union victorious.

This follows a series of stories we published concerning the union allegedly gunning for the head of the CEO and the department siding with the labor movement.

It all started when Mxolosi Dukwana, Free State Province Premier gave the strongest indication that CEOs will be targeted and purged on International Nurses Day.

Joburg Mayor Rips into Dukwana’s spokesperson while Dukwana gives strongest link to purging of hospital CEOs

With Dukwana publicly asking MEC Leeto to focus on the hospital CEOs, News reached our table that at least 3 CEOs were targeted because senior ANC leaders have vested interest.

The irony of Dukwana telling Leeto to focus on CEOs, he can’t even manage the rift between MECs and HoDs as at least 5 MECs are at loggerheads with their HoDs and he is doing nothing.

While Mondli Mvambi, spokesperson for Free State has said the department is not in cahoots with NEHAWU to oust Phillip Radebe, the opposite is true.

Step UP NEWS can confirm Phillip Radebe, CEO has been moved from
Phekolong Hospital and this is according to a Public Service Association member in Bethlehem who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Our source said Radebe has been moved.

“The member and CEO were instructed in writing to relocate from Bethlehem to Senekal within 5 working days.

One of the only two CEOs who are top performers has been moved and there is absolutely no valid reason apart from politics, we know.”

Asked why did Radebe not challenge the instruction the source said he applied to comply and complain later strategy.

“He has adopted the strategy of safety first, which requires one to comply with all instructions, however unreasonable and unlawful they may be, and then kickstart the process which will ultimately lead to a dispute being declared with the public service commission and the bargaining council.”

While the department is moving, roughly R176m meant for service delivery into the useless MEC injunctions, Radebe’s move comes at a price for the department.

It is alleged that the accommodation costs of the CEO are covered by the hospital since the transfer to Itemoheng Hospital is triggered by the department and not by Radebe’s request.

We have learned from reliable sources that the cost of accommodation is slightly more than R1000 per day, which is going to cripple the already fragile budget of the hospital.

This whole thing shows that the department misled the public when they said there are no plans to remove him from the hospital.

Forster Mohale, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health refused to be drawn into provincial matters.

“The matter can be handled by the Provincial government.”

Of course they are handling it.

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