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Fury at presence in hospital of 'rapist doctor'

A BITTER feud is brewing between the Limpopo department of health and social development and an anti-sexual exploitation lobby group over the presence in hospital of a "rapist doctor".

A BITTER feud is brewing between the Limpopo department of health and social development and an anti-sexual exploitation lobby group over the presence in hospital of a "rapist doctor".

The medic allegedly raped a patient after luring her to his residence after a consultation.

The Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Program is furious at the department's failure to act against the doctor, against whom it allegedly withdrew a case without considering the patient's state.

Mashudu Silimela was found guilty last month by the Health Professions Council of South Africa of having sex with a patient at Tshilidzini Hospital in 2008.

But he was later transferred to the Donald Fraser Hospital after his suspension was lifted by the department.

The lobby group programmes manager Fiona Nicholson's bid to have the doctor struck off the roll failed. She was told that the matter had been finalised.

Silimela had allegedly confessed to having had sex with the patient but denied raping her.

A rape case with the police also failed to lead to a successful prosecution after the case was withdrawn due to a "lack" of evidence.

"But we are confident of our case because the same doctor was found guilty by the HPCSA of having sex with the patient," Nicholson said.

She said they wanted to know why the department was still using the "rapist doctor".

The provincial department spokesperson, Roleta Lebelo, claimed they had failed to strike the doctor off the roll because he was still registered with the HPCSA.

"The fact that he is still registered with the council means we will only rely on the outcomes of the council to give us a directive on what steps to take against him," Lebelo said.

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