GK Wahl staff want medically unfit colleague dismissed

• By Wilhelmina Iimene

THE hostel staff at G.K. Wahl Combined School hostel in Kalkfeld has written to the Ministry of Education expressing concern over a medically unfit colleague working in the school’s kitchen, Paulina Awarab whom they allege is not fit to work in food preparation.

In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Education Executive Director, Sanet Steenkamp the hostel staff expressed that their colleague, Awarab was not in good health or fit to work in food preparation as she has an uncontrollable cough.

Additionally, they stated that community members, parents and guardians have conveyed the same grievance.

“The hostel worker who was chosen under mysterious conditions has a permanent cough which she cannot control even when preparing food. We have received numerous complaints in this regard from members of the community, parents and guardians,” said a Wahl Combined School employee who preferred to remain anonymous.

The hostel superintendent, Amakali Lucia is said to be aware of the situation but to date, has not taken any action to remove Awarab from the food preparation section as it has been done to others who have portrayed similar conditions.

“In the past, those who have indicated to be medically unfit have been retired or moved from the food preparation section. The staff’s biggest concern is that they feel Awarab is being favoured and not treated like how others have been treated.

“We simply fail to understand why Awarab is not moved from the food preparation section whilst her condition of ill health is known.

We also note our concern that she is likely to be appointed Chief Hostel Matron after she attended the interviews for the position on November 18,” the staff members further lamented.

The staff are of the understanding that the reason why Awarab was transferred from the hostel where she was previously employed was because a lot people had enquired and raised similar concerns about her health fitness to work with food.

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