Tamar Kahn
24 June 2008
Cape Town — The Gauteng legislature has upheld the right of Democratic Alliance (DA) health spokesman Jack Bloom to pay surprise visits to public hospitals and clinics, saying he should be allowed to do as a matter of public interest.
The decision is important, as public officials have often battled to gain access to public institutions to fulfil their oversight role.
Bloom clashed with health MEC Brian Hlongwa over his moves to raise public awareness of problems in the province's hospitals and clinics by blowing the whistle on issues he identified at unannounced visits.
Hlongwa laid a complaint against Bloom with Gauteng's integrity committee last August, alleging Bloom had breached the legislature's code of conduct by visiting hospitals without permission from the MEC or management.
Legislature integrity commissioner Jules Browde dismissed the complaint.
Bloom said: "Unannounced visits are important; if you say you are coming they will fix things up, temporarily."
Hlongwa has accepted the decision.
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