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By Lindiz van Zilla. Cape
Times, South Africa. June 10, 2003
A storm has erupted over a decision by South African health authorities to
employ 50 Cuban engineers and technicians to service medical equipment in South
Africa.
The Freedom Front (FF) claims that many South African engineers are stranded
without work or have been forced to emigrate due to a shortage of openings in
the engineering industry.
"The Freedom Front rejects the government's justification given for the
recruitment of Cuban engineers to work in South Africa," FF spokesman on
labour issues Pieter Groenewald said. "This recruitment takes place while
many South African engineers cannot find work because of affirmative action and
have to find work overseas."
Groenewald said the FF has already received responses from over 60
engineers. "There are many well-qualified and experienced South African
engineers disillusioned and aggrieved by the labour discrimination by the
government ... ''
Spokeswoman for the national Department of Health, Jo-Anne Collinge, said
seven engineers and 43 technicians had been brought in from Cuba on short-term
contracts to service medical equipment and also to train South Africans.
Collinge said a recent audit of medical equipment showed that the health
department struggled to cope with the breakdown of equipment which then stood
unused for long periods.
Collinge said it had been decided to bring in Cuban specialists "because
these posts have been vacant for some time".
She added that the Western Cape was "better off than most provinces,
but still not up to the required norm".
The Eastern Cape is set to receive five Cuban engineers and technicians who
would be employed in the former Transkei.
"One of the challenges we face is that many South African engineers
don't want to come and work in rural areas in the Eastern Cape," said
provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupela.
The Cubans would be instrumental in "building capacity in the province",
Kupela said.
Roy Marcus, of the Engineering Association of South Africa, said part of the
problem with the apparent skills shortage might stem from "training in
incorrect areas, and we will have to look at the massive retraining of people".
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