- The Public Protector Office will open a case against Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize.
- According to the office, Mkhize failed to honour a subpoena on three occasions.
- Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane says "compliance with our investigations is not optional".
The Public Protector's office says it will initiate contempt proceedings against Health Minister Zweli Mkhize following his failure to honour a subpoena.
"Dr Mkhize was subpoenaed to give evidence and produce documents in relation to an investigation into allegations of undue delay and/or failure by the national Department of Health to implement the recommendations of the Report of the Clinical Associate National Task Team 2017," the office said in a statement on Thursday.
The Public Protector is investigating a complaint by Sanele Ngcobo, a clinical associate and the general-secretary of the Professional Association of Clinical Associates of South Africa.
Ngcobo wants the national Department of Health to implement the recommendations in the task team report.
The subpoena was served on Mkhize in February this year for his appearance before the Public Protector on 18 March. He was also served on 21 April for 7 May, and again on 24 May for 1 June.
"He failed to present himself on all three occasions, with his office advising each time that he was unavailable."
The Public Protector's office said a case would be opened at the Brooklyn police station in Hatfield, Pretoria this week.
Public Protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, said a subpoena carried with it legal implications, adding that witnesses were obliged to comply with its provisions or face legal consequences.
"It is critical for state functionaries to understand that compliance with our investigations is not optional. No less than the Constitution of the Republic enjoins other organs of state to support and assist the Public Protector to ensure the institution's independence, impartiality, dignity and effectiveness," she said.