Manto warns Sunday Times

JOHANNESBURG – Legal action will be taken if the Sunday Times does not return medical documents belonging to Health Minister Manto Tshabala-Msimangr, her spokesperson said yesterday.

Sibani Mngadi said the Sunday Times had until 17h30 yesterday to comply, failure to which the minister would definitely seek court assistance. “We are prepared for this,” he said.Mngadi said the minister had sent both a faxed and hand-delivered copy of her demands to the Sunday Times on Monday afternoon.He said the minister believed the Sunday Times was in ‘gross violation’ of the National Health Act in obtaining her medical records.Mngadi said he was ‘very much concerned’ at the ‘arrogance’ of Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya during interviews he had given on Monday.Tshabalala-Msimang’s demands followed after the Sunday Times ran a story on August 12 about her alleged alcohol binges during a hospital stay two years ago.In a statement issued on Monday the minister dismissed the newspaper story as ‘false, malicious and in contravention of the law’.”The minister calls upon the Sunday Times to, within 24 hours, hand over to her all records concerning her hospitalisation, medical treatment and condition (including the notes containing such information as well as the comments of various ‘doctors’ in respect of such hospitalisation, treatment and condition),” the ministry said.The statement also called upon the Sunday Times to ‘retract malicious, untrue and injurious statements referred to in the report’.Comment from the Sunday Times was not immediately available.Nampa-Sapa”We are prepared for this,” he said.Mngadi said the minister had sent both a faxed and hand-delivered copy of her demands to the Sunday Times on Monday afternoon.He said the minister believed the Sunday Times was in ‘gross violation’ of the National Health Act in obtaining her medical records.Mngadi said he was ‘very much concerned’ at the ‘arrogance’ of Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya during interviews he had given on Monday.Tshabalala-Msimang’s demands followed after the Sunday Times ran a story on August 12 about her alleged alcohol binges during a hospital stay two years ago.In a statement issued on Monday the minister dismissed the newspaper story as ‘false, malicious and in contravention of the law’.”The minister calls upon the Sunday Times to, within 24 hours, hand over to her all records concerning her hospitalisation, medical treatment and condition (including the notes containing such information as well as the comments of various ‘doctors’ in respect of such hospitalisation, treatment and condition),” the ministry said.The statement also called upon the Sunday Times to ‘retract malicious, untrue and injurious statements referred to in the report’.Comment from the Sunday Times was not immediately available.Nampa-Sapa

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