Shonisani Lethole.

• Tembisa Hospital CEO Dr Lekopane Mogaladi is facing suspension following a damning report by the Health Ombudsman surrounding the death of Shonisani Lethole.
• The Gauteng health department issued Mogaladi with a notice of precautionary suspension on Friday.
• The ombudsman found the hospital was negligent in its treatment of Lethole. 

Dr Lekopane Mogaladi, the embattled CEO of Tembisa Hospital, has been served with a notice of precautionary suspension following a damning report by the Health Ombudsman, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, with regard to the death of Shonisani Lethole.

The Gauteng health department served Mogaladi with the notice on Friday.

Department spokesperson Kwara Kekana said the notice of intention to place Mogaladi on precautionary suspension was served in terms of Chapter 7 of the Senior Management Service Handbook 2003, as a result of the health ombudsman’s report into the death of Lethole at Tembisa Hospital in June last year.

“As part of the standard labour practices, Mogaladi has been afforded an opportunity to make representations within five working days of receipt of the notice, regarding the intention to place him on precautionary suspension.

“The department wishes to reiterate its commitment to implementing the recommendations of the report by the health ombud into the circumstances surrounding the care and death of Lethole at the hospital within legal prescripts,” said Kekana.

READ | Shonisani Lethole’s death: No food for 100 hours – Tembisa hospital ‘like a zoo’, says Health Ombud

The notice of precautionary suspension follows a scathing report released earlier in the week, which revealed the hospital was negligent in its treatment of Lethole.

Lethole died after being starved of food for more than 100 hours.

Makgoba found the hospital effectively left Lethole to die.

Among other damning revelations, Makgoba also revealed the hospital was not truthful and provided incomplete information to the ombud.

Lethole’s death was inaccurately recorded and he died without knowing his Covid-19 status.

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