The head of the cardiology department at Nkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Professor DP Naidoo, fears reprisals because he spoke out, revealed that he had formally discharged Schabir Shaik from the hospital in November.

Shaik remained in a private ward until his release last week, instead of returning to prison after being deemed well enough to be released.

But Naidoo believes he did the right thing and that as the head of the department he had no choice but to be truthful about the matter.

"Courage is one thing, but I am quite sure the matter is not going to stop here."

He said in the Sunday Times he had been told Shaik would remain in the hospital until further notice.

Calling media reports on the matter "reasonably factual", Naidoo stressed that he was not at liberty to reveal any more details on his findings when he assessed Shaik.

Asked whether he had been intimidated in any way since speaking out, Naidoo said: "Nothing has happened yet, but pressure may be brought to bear. I am worried about my family."

"The hospital has instituted a blanket ban on any further discussion of the matter by hospital personnel, and quite rightly so, given the nature of doctor patient confidentiality.

"I have been advised to direct all discussion through the hospital's public relations department."

Manelisi Wolela, spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services, confirmed this morning that the national minister, Ncgonde Balfour, was "going to follow up" the Shaik matter this coming week. The Department would be contacting the KZN department of Health to obtain statements on Shaik's medical condition.

"If there is any concrete evidence provided over the allegations of the contradiction over the medical report and the actual illness, there would be an investigation," said Wolela.

He added that depending on the outcome of that investigation, Balfour could ask for a review of the medical parole.

The department of health's Leon Mbwangwa was not available for comment.

Mo Shaik, Schabir's brother, yesterday declined a request for a reporter to visit him and assess his condition firsthand.

"That will not be possible right now. It (the media furore) is not something we, as a family, feel we should be drawn into. At present we are doing our best to weather the storm. Schabir is trying to rest, but he receives the daily papers, and he is deeply affected by what he reads."

Mo added that Schabir's only child, two-year-old Yasir, was "absolutely delighted to have his dad back home".

He said the child, "who is old enough now to know what is going on", had been traumatised each time he visited his father in hospital and had to return home without him.

Meanwhile, the UDM and DA have urged President Kgalema Motlanthe and the Health Professions Council to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Shaik's parole.

In a letter, UDM head, Bantu Holomisa, appealed to Motlanthe to remove the veil of secrecy surrounding the issue.

"I believe you can no longer remain silent on this deepening crisis.

"The Minister of Correctional Services' bellicose attitude on the matter has done nothing to inspire confidence, and with every new revelation his behaviour seems part of a broader conspiracy to undermine the rule of law in order to grant Mr Shaik freedom when he should be serving time in prison," Holomisa wrote.

The politician urged Motlanthe to appoint a three-person commission, comprising a judge and two respected medical practitioners who specialise in Shaik's "alleged condition", to interview all those involved in his care and arrive at a finding on his eligibility for parole based on the seriousness, or lack thereof, of his condition.

Holomisa concluded his letter: "You are reputed to have integrity, please prove to the nation that you are more than just the willing puppet of people who have not been elected by the citizens and who are remotely using this Executive to institute profoundly unconstitutional decisions."

MP James Selfe, the DA spokesperson on correctional services, on Sunday issued a statement based on a letter drafted to the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

Selfe said the letter voiced the DA's concerns that "on the basis of all the evidence available to the public, Schabir Shaik is not in the final phase of a terminal disease, as is required of medical parole applicants ".

Balfour had been widely quoted as saying that "one (of the three doctors treating Shaik) even went as far as saying that his condition had reached an irreversible stage".

In its letter to Motlanthe, the DA said the only reasonable inference to be made from Balfour's statement "is that two of the three doctors did not believe that the condition was irreversible".

• This article was originally published on page 1 of The Daily News on March 09, 2009

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