Wouter Basson's Unethical Conduct Hearing at the HPCSA [GUILTY!]

Evidence presented by Cape Town cardiologist Wouter Basson during his criminal trial will not be used in the hearing investigating his alleged unethical behaviour, the Health Professionals Council of SA ruled on Monday.

"It is ruled that that should not be allowed in order to maintain consistency with previous rulings, consideration of fairness, and in order not to allow anything that will unduly protract the scope of the inquiry," said Prof Jannie Hugo, chairman of the HPCSA's professional conduct committee.

The hearing is into the charges of unethical conduct brought by the HPCSA against Basson before its professional conduct committee.

Salie Joubert SC, representing the HPCSA, told the hearing he would use evidence presented by Basson in his criminal case and at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He said he would also use this evidence during the cross-examination of Basson's witness Dr Niel Knobel.

Basson's legal team objected, arguing this would delay proceedings, as this evidence was contained in a document of over 1000 pages.

The team argued that bringing such evidence would also not be fitting to the scope of the hearing. This was echoed by the chairman's legal adviser, retired judge Frikkie Eloff.

The hearing adjourned and a few minutes later Hugo presented his ruling.

The charges arise from Basson's involvement in the apartheid government's chemical and biological warfare programme in the 1980s and early 1990s.

He is accused of acting unethically by being involved in the large-scale production of Mandrax, cocaine and teargas, of weaponising teargas, and of supplying it to Angola's Unita leader Jonas Savimbi.

He is also accused of acting unethically by providing disorientating substances for cross-border kidnappings and making cyanide capsules available for distribution to operatives for use in committing suicide.

In 2002, Basson was acquitted by the High Court in Pretoria of criminal charges arising from his conduct.

The HPCSA reviewed the judgment to establish if there were grounds to continue with an inquiry against Basson.

The State appealed the decision of the high court in the Supreme Court of Appeal, but the appeal was dismissed.

The State then went to the Constitutional Court to appeal the decision. That was also dismissed in September 2005.

In 2006, the HPCSA started its own process of investigating Basson's conduct. A charge sheet was drawn up and the inquiry began in November 2007. However, the inquiry was delayed when the HPCSA's main expert witness fell ill. The inquiry resumed again in September 2008.

During the November 2008 hearing, Basson's legal team argued that the case brought against him was unlawful and biased.

Basson's legal team then went to the High Court in Pretoria to stop the inquiry. The matter was heard in the high court only in 2010. The court dismissed Basson's application in May 2010.

The next month, Basson appealed the decision in the same court, but lost.

The hearing then resumed officially in September 2011.

In January 2012, Basson brought another application before the HPCSA's professional conduct committee to dismiss the matter.

However, Basson's application was dismissed.

The hearing continues on Tuesday.


Source : Sapa /pd/jk/clh/th
Date : 15 Jul 2013 14:48

Chemical Weapons were used in Angola: Witness

Chemical weapons were used against Unita rebels during the war in Angola, the Health Professions' Council of SA (HPCSA) was told on Tuesday.

The council's professional conduct committee is holding a hearing into allegations of unethical conduct against Cape Town cardiologist Wouter Basson.

Salie Joubert SC, representing the HPCSA, asked witness Dr Niel Knobel, a former SA Defence Force surgeon general, whether it was his testimony that chemical weapons were used against Unita forces in Angola.

"Based on our own reports, although I was not personally involved in some of those incidents, South African troops who were deployed with Unita were often called to come forward to come and give assistance to members of Unita that were exposed to some or other chemical substance," said Knobel.

"The evidence that we have from the reports given by generals and commanding officers of that operation, all of them reported that there were bombs released by fighters, a lot of smoke was coming down and it affected a lot of the troops," he said.

The charges against Basson arise from his involvement in the apartheid government's chemical and biological warfare programme in the 1980s and early 1990s.

He is accused of acting unethically by being involved in the large-scale production of Mandrax, cocaine and teargas, of weaponising teargas, and of supplying it to Unita leader Jonas Savimbi.

He is also accused of acting unethically by providing disorientating substances for cross-border kidnappings, and making cyanide capsules available for distribution to operatives for use in committing suicide.

During cross-examination on Tuesday, Joubert asked Knobel about details of meetings he had with former president Nelson Mandela when he was still in office.

Knobel refused and said the meetings were confidential.

"Mr Joubert is starting to question me on meetings I had with Mr Mandela, which I am not at liberty to discuss," he said.

However, Knobel confirmed that Mandela had rejected calls by the UK and the US to prevent Basson from travelling abroad.

In 2002, Basson was acquitted by the High Court in Pretoria of criminal charges arising from his conduct.

The HPCSA reviewed the judgment to establish if there were grounds to continue with an inquiry against him.

The State appealed the high court decision in the Supreme Court of Appeal, but the appeal was dismissed.

The State then went to the Constitutional Court to appeal the decision. That was also dismissed in September 2005.

In 2006, the HPCSA started its own process of investigating Basson's conduct. A charge sheet was drawn up and the inquiry began in November 2007.

However, the inquiry was delayed when the HPCSA's main expert witness fell ill. The inquiry resumed again in September 2008.

During the November 2008 hearing, Basson's legal team argued that the case brought against him was unlawful and biased.

Basson's legal team then went to the High Court in Pretoria to stop the inquiry. The matter was heard in the high court in 2010. The court dismissed Basson's application in May 2010.

The next month, Basson appealed the decision in the same court, but lost.

The hearing then resumed officially in September 2011.

In January 2012, Basson brought another application before the HPCSA's professional conduct committee to dismiss the matter. However, this application was also dismissed.


Source : Sapa /pd/jk/clh
Date : 16 Jul 2013 13:51

I will not talk about Mandela: Witness

A former SA Defence Force surgeon general has refused to divulge details of meetings and discussions he had with former president Nelson Mandela.

Dr Niel Knobel told Wouter Basson's unethical conduct hearing at the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) on Wednesday there was information he could not disclose as it was top secret.

"I may not refer to documents that are top secret and that could jeopardise South Africa's position internationally, as well as compromise... president Mandela.

"Please understand my position as an officer who retains my ranks until the day I die and my commission stands. I am not going to jeopardise and I'm certainly not going to make any remarks about president Mandela," Knobel said.

The council's professional conduct committee is holding a hearing into allegations of unethical conduct against Basson, a Cape Town cardiologist.

Earlier, Knobel said he had meetings with Mandela and noted there was a lot of interest among SADF members when he returned from the meetings, wanting to know what they had discussed.

An affidavit made by Knobel during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission proceedings was presented before the committee.

The affidavit is a statement regarding the chronology of events around the SADF's chemical and biological weapons programme, with special reference to Basson's role.

Knobel argued that he could not give evidence on the affidavit as some of the appendices which were supposed to be attached to it were not available.

The charges against Basson arise from his involvement in the apartheid government's chemical and biological warfare programme in the 1980s and early 1990s.

He is accused of acting unethically by being involved in the large-scale production of Mandrax, cocaine, and teargas, of weaponising teargas, and of supplying it to Angola's Unita rebels leader Jonas Savimbi.

He is also accused of acting unethically by providing disorientating substances for cross-border kidnappings, and making cyanide capsules available for distribution to operatives for use in committing suicide.

In 2002, Basson was acquitted by the High Court in Pretoria of criminal charges arising from his conduct.

The HPCSA reviewed the judgment to establish if there were grounds to continue with an inquiry against him.

The State appealed the high court decision in the Supreme Court of Appeal, but the appeal was dismissed. The State then went to the Constitutional Court to appeal the decision. That was also dismissed in September 2005.

In 2006, the HPCSA started its own process of investigating Basson's conduct. A charge sheet was drawn up and the inquiry began in November 2007.

However, the inquiry was delayed when the HPCSA's main expert witness fell ill. The inquiry resumed again in September 2008.

During the November 2008 hearing, Basson's lawyers argued that the case brought against him was unlawful and biased.

Basson's legal team then went to the High Court in Pretoria to stop the inquiry. The matter was heard in the high court in 2010. The court dismissed Basson's application in May 2010. The next month, Basson appealed the decision in the same court, but lost.

The hearing then resumed officially in September 2011. In January 2012, Basson brought another application before the HPCSA's professional conduct committee to dismiss the matter. However, this application was also dismissed.

The hearing continues on Thursday.


Source : Sapa /pd/jk/clh
Date : 17 Jul 2013 13:35

"Strike Basson off the roll" : Families

Families of victims of the chemical warfare allegedly administered by Wouter Basson want him struck off the roll as a medical practitioner.

"We cannot do anything as families. All we want is the law to take its course and that Basson be struck off the roll," Mamelodi resident Lizzy Sefulo said on the sidelines of Basson's hearing on Thursday.

Sefulo, 72, said her late husband Harold Sefulo was drugged and tortured with two other anti-apartheid activists by security policemen in 1987.

Sefulo, Jackson Maake and Andrew Makope were abducted and tortured, and their bodies were blown up in the former homeland of Bophuthatswana.

Basson played a major part in their death, said Lizzy Sefulo.

She and several other relatives attended Basson's hearing at the Health Professions Council of SA on Thursday.

They were supported by the human rights group, Khulumani.

Khulumani co-ordinator Mmanoko Mokgonyane alleged that Basson's chemicals and drugs were administered to the victims before they were tortured and killed.

The charges against Basson arise from his involvement in the apartheid government's chemical and biological warfare programme in the 1980s and early 1990s.

He is accused of acting unethically by being involved in the large-scale production of Mandrax, cocaine and teargas, of weaponising teargas, and of supplying it to Angola's Unita leader Jonas Savimbi.

He is also accused of acting unethically by providing disorientating substances for cross-border kidnappings and by making cyanide capsules available for distribution to operatives for use in committing suicide.

In 2002, Basson was acquitted by the High Court in Pretoria of criminal charges arising from his conduct.

The HPCSA reviewed the judgment to establish if there were grounds to continue with an inquiry against Basson.

The State appealed the high court's decision in the Supreme Court of Appeal, but the appeal was dismissed.

The State then went to the Constitutional Court to appeal the decision.

That was also dismissed in September 2005.


Source : Sapa /gm/aa/cls/jje
Date : 14 Nov 2013 11:14 OrigID : LP733563

Wouter you stoute kabouter!

But but... his crimes were in apartheid. So just like Mcbribe we should give him the top position in the Army in regards to chemical warfare. or the head of health....

Mila said:

But but... his crimes were in apartheid. So just like Mcbribe we should give him the top position in the Army in regards to chemical warfare. or the head of health....

Click to expand...

Knowing our dear government they will differentiate the two by stating that Basson is a terrorist and McBribe [intentional misspelling] is a freedom fighter.

oh lol.


We are stuck with the hooligans.

// sigh

Wait just a minute...

On what grounds would he be struck from the roll, when he was acquited?

And those guys who shot Hani , is dying in prison of cancer (no parole)... and yet Selebi/Shaik walk around free men .

Government is looking after their own...

I don't think this guy should practice medicine with his history irrespective of the environment/time/excuses etc he had been such a bad boy. I don't care if ANC cadres get away with it, we should still take the high road.

ToxicBunny said:

Wait just a minute...

On what grounds would he be struck from the roll, when he was acquited?

Click to expand...

The way I understand it is that he was acquitted from criminal charges, but the HSPCA is on their own mission, trying to determine whether he acted unethically and deserves to be struck off the roll.

ponder said:

I don't think this guy should practice medicine with his history irrespective of the environment/time/excuses etc he had been such a bad boy. I don't care if ANC cadres get away with it, we should still take the high road.

Click to expand...

If he's working as a GP I think the decision to visit him or not should be left to his patients.
If he works for a state hospital he should be applauded, like all the doctors who have to suffer with the decreasing quality of those institutions.

This whole thing is just a witch hunt and nothing else. I hope that he will keep his license and continue practicing - with all these *********s leaving him alone.

He's a brilliant and very popular cardiologist at Durbanville Mediclinic.

Everything else aside, removing him from the roll will cost lives.

daveza said:

He's a brilliant and very popular cardiologist at Durbanville Mediclinic.

Everything else aside, removing him from the roll will cost lives.

Click to expand...

And that's why it should be up to his patients whether they want to see him or not.

I wonder if there have been any complaints against him to the HSPCA, regarding his conduct as a medical professional, outside of the 'appartight' years.

OrbitalDawn said:

And that's why it should be up to his patients whether they want to see him or not.

I wonder if there have been any complaints against him to the HSPCA, regarding his conduct as a medical professional, outside of the 'appartight' years.

Click to expand...

None - and he has no shortage of patients.

OrbitalDawn said:

And that's why it should be up to his patients whether they want to see him or not.

I wonder if there have been any complaints against him to the HSPCA, regarding his conduct as a medical professional, outside of the 'appartight' years.

Click to expand...

And that goes for the families of the 'victims' too.

In 20 years no one has managed to prosecute this man .
Prosecute him or leave him alone FFS leave the man alone already.

What was he found guilty of in the end?