Dept terminates security company contract

The department took the decision to terminate the services of Naphtronics Company following the company's failure to post guards since 21 December 2011.

North West MEC for Health, Dr Magome Masike, said the company's poor service affected almost 98 percent of the facilities. At the remaining facilities, guards have been on and off duty compromising the safety of public health users.

"The action of Naptronics has led to some facilities that render a 24-hour service to shut down at night for security reasons and the department has thus been forced to breach its constitutional obligation duty to provide health care to people of the North West, hence the termination.

"The department could not allow this situation to continue, particularly given the fact that this compromised the security of our facilities, our health workers, public health users and state property," said Masike.

He added that it was no longer feasible for the department to give Naphtronics a notice to rectify the breach since that would further prejudice the interest of the department.

A new security company has since been appointed to safe guard neglected health facilities. Masike also announced that services at affected facilities have also been restored.