The Gauteng health department on Thursday said it “will not tolerate any dishonest conduct from any of its employees”.
Even the “embezzlement of milk” led to a dismissal‚ a statement from health MEC Qedani Mahlangu’s office said.
That was one of 18 sackings the department has made in keeping with its “duty to proactively promote a culture of honesty and good governance‚ which will in turn lead to effective and efficient service delivery”‚ Mahlangu said.
“This requires a public service that is professional‚ ethical and performs its duties and tasks with integrity.”
The 18 “dismissed employees had committed the following offences”: eight for “cases of theft‚ fraud and corruption”; two for “stealing cash (R10000)”; and one each for “going AWOL with an ambulance”‚ “unauthorised use of government vehicle”‚ “absenteeism”‚ “taking part on an illegal strike”‚ “not reporting an accident while using government car”‚ “stealing schedule 4 medicines”‚ “stealing three cellphones and consistent absenteeism”‚ and “embezzlement of milk”.
“The citizenry has entrusted a huge responsibility on this government; to look after all assets that facilitate service delivery; be it a government car‚ a cell phone‚ or milk in our kitchen‚” Mahlangu said.