HPCSA provisional finding in the case of UN Special Rapporteur Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng

Healthcare Workers 4 Palestine – South Africa (HCW4P-SA) is aware of the provisional finding and subsequent fine on Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, for her social media posts, made by the Health Professionals Council South Africa (HPCSA) in response to a complaint from the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF). We welcome the news that there will be an appeal to this finding, and we trust that the HPCSA will follow due process in responding to this appeal. While we respect the work of the HPCSA, the limited transparency with respect to the provisional finding is cause for concern amongst healthcare workers. We want to be certain that legitimate exercise of freedom of expression through social media will not be spuriously used against healthcare workers. Given the high profile and politically charged nature of this case, we call on the HPCSA to be fully transparent about the process to date, and the process going forward.

Dr Mofokeng is a South African doctor who is the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health and campaigns for universal health access. Dr Mofokeng has called for an end to the Israeli occupation and an immediate, unconditional ceasefire as well as calling for the release of all health care workers held by Israel and investigations of those killed. We are not surprised that this complaint against her was brought to the HPCSA by the SAZF. This is consistent with their historic and current attempts at using lawfare to intimidate and silence activists who criticise Israel for its breaches of international law. As an organisation, we and our members are not intimidated by this action. We will continue to advocate for justice for Palestine and will continue to fight misinformation by telling the truth about what Israel is inflicting on the Palestinians, including but not limited to committing genocide in Gaza, in order to achieve their ultimate goal of ethnically cleansing Palestinians from Gaza.

As a South African organisation, we value the robustness of our judicial and regulatory bodies, and we will not allow Zionist organisations to manipulate these bodies and in the process sully their legitimacy. We, our elders and our ancestors fought long and hard to end apartheid in South Africa and to ensure that we have free and fair judicial and regulatory processes. We will do everything to defend these in a free and just South Africa. We support the Constitutional rights of all South Africans including healthcare workers to freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest.

Enquiries:           info@hcw4palestine.org.za

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