House Chair, Chapter 2, sections 9 and 33 of the SA Constitution, state that everyone is equal before the law and everyone has the right to administrative action that is lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair.
The ACDP believes that these rights have been denied to our South African citizen, Dr De Vos. In April 2017, Dr De Vos was suspended by the Health Professions Council of SA, HPCSA, because of an alleged statement by a woman who Dr De Vos engaged about a decision to end the life
of her 19 week unborn child. After numerous disciplinary hearings been set and charges withdrawn, only to be reinstated after a few months without explanation, it appears evident that the HPCSA is guilty of violating Dr De Vos's human right to a disciplinary hearing that is lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair.
In July 2019, the charges were changed, including changing the date and the year in which the alleged offenses were committed. As of the 12 October 2019, information of the charges were not given to Dr De Vos which were required by law. It appears that Dr De Vos is being punished for his medical review rooted in science that doing good, doing no harm to the life of human beings includes the life of the unborn child.
The ACDP calls on all political parties to give support to Dr De Vos and hold the HPCSA to account, less we be accused of hypocrisy believing that all are equal before the law, except to those Christian doctors who hold the scientific medical view that all children are human beings, whether in or without the womb. I thank you. [Applause.]