Dear Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour,

To whom this may concern

Roland Toogood Inc is registered at the Compensation commissioner (IOD) as an employer and Msp for the last 23 years and I have been providing professional medical services for severely disabled persons, for each of these years. Now suddenly the compensation commissioner, can not accept our details on the new program (Compeasy). For the last two (2) years! I have had escalating monies owing to the practice which have not been paid. I have patients that are immobile and more disabled because I cannot submit quotations for new appliances and prosthetics. I cannot submit or send claims or receive authorizations because Compensation commissions people keep referring the matter to their IT department without trying to find a solution. We understand that they changed IT service providers, as they informed us in November 2024 but to date nothing has been done to rectify our problem. This is a gross violation against humanity and prejudice against this medical practice.

Patients that are referred to this practice for appliances and prosthetic limbs cannot be helped, their claims cannot be submitted for services rendered due to a system error on the CompEasy program. I am extremely upset; my patients are being left helpless and with more disabilities than before; now their recovery process is being hindered even further. People are supposed to be granted a second opportunity to be reemployed in their life. They need to be able to continue, to be independent and employed, but now they are being left helpless due to the gross incompetence of the Compensation commissioner employees and IT department. We have tried many times via emails, telephone calls and visits from the department, to no avail. The problem has still not been fixed and now we are being instructed to register for the next quarter for appliance etc. I feel insulted and they have no respect for the people whom we are trying to help, it’s a disgrace.

According to 3.2 of the Compensation commission mandate the “Compensation Fund provides compensation to employees who are injured or contact diseases through the course of their employment”.

Please may SCOPA intervene immediately to try and resolve this gross violation against basic human rights so I can continue to provide medical devices to assist the disabled and mobilize/treat the injured. We have had numerous employees from the Compensation commissioner offices (local and from head office) try to help. We have followed protocol and through all instructed channels from the bottom to the top personnel but still we are in the same position as we were two years ago (names can be provided of persons contacted at the department of labour who have not been able to assist or provide feedback). We need this problem resolved promptly so that we can be paid for overdue services rendered and assist current and past patients with appliances to aid with their recovery and continued mobility.



Mr Roland Toogood:
Certified Medical Orthotist/Prosthetist (CPO)
Nat. Dip. Med Orth & Prost. (SA) B-Tech degree Orth & Pros. (TUT) SA
Certified Lymphoedema specialist (LOASA) & wound care (WHASA)