August 23, 2004
Theatre Sister Discriminated Against on Grounds of Religion, Concience & Belief
Embargo: Immediate release
Enquiries: John Smyth, QC (legal spokesperson)
Cell: +27 83 653 8804


Doctors For life Institutes proceedings in the new Equality Courts

·        A Chief Professional Nurse with special qualifications in Theatre
work has been barred from working in theatre at the Kopanong Hospital in
Vereeniging because she has taken a stand on her constitutional right not to
do abortion cases on the ground of her Christian beliefs.

·        The new Equality Courts set up under the Promotion of Equality and
Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 2000 provide a fast-track procedure
for dealing with cases of this nature. The theatre sister and Doctors for
Life are claiming against the Hospital and National Minister of Health in
the Vereeniging Equality Court:

1.     An immediate order that the sister be re-instated.
2.     An unconditional apology.
3.     Damages for the impairment of her dignity, and for emotional and
psychological suffering, in the sum of R.50,000 and costs.
4.     Orders directing the Gauteng Health Department and the National
Minister of Health to restrain unfair discriminatory practices on the ground
of religion, conscience or belief at the Kopanong Hospital and at Health
facilities nation-wide.

·        The Act of Parliament and Regulations provide specifically for all
these orders to be made by an Equality Court.

·        An immediate application to the Court will be necessary unless the
Hospital consents to re-instating Sister Charles pending the full hearing.
The Presiding Magistrate has power to refer the case to the High Court. The
Act provides for a 'leap-frog' appeal to the Constitutional Court.