A Decade of Silence Broken: The Long Road to Justice for Dr. Hough’s Accusers

For over ten years, their stories were tied up in a labyrinth of legal appeals and procedural delays. Five women, whose names we cannot speak, carried the weight of alleged violations by a man in a position of ultimate trust: their doctor. This week, that long, frustrating journey toward accountability saw a pivotal turn. Dr. Gregory Hough, a 53 year old endocrinologist, finally stood in the Gqeberha magistrate’s court, arrested on charges of rape and sexual assault.

His release on R5,000 bail is a single line in a much larger, more complex story. It is a story about a medical professional’s fight to keep his license and his freedom, and the quiet, relentless determination of his accusers who would not let their cases be forgotten.

A Pattern of Allegations and a Web of Delay

The accusations against Dr. Hough are grave and span seven years, from 2012 to 2019. The five complainants, women between the ages of 27 and 51, allege assaults took place in his rooms at the Netcare Greenacres Hospital. The provisional charge sheet details three counts of rape and five of sexual assault. Some of the women allege multiple incidents.

One woman claims that in 2018, Dr. Hough raped her. Another states that in 2019, he sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions. A common thread in the allegations is the claim that he never wore medical gloves during intimate examinations.

For years, the parallel processes of professional and criminal justice seemed to move in slow motion. The criminal case was stalled, repeatedly, by Dr. Hough’s various appeals to the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and subsequent court challenges.

The HPCSA Battle: A Strategy of Attrition

The battle before the HPCSA reads like a masterclass in legal obstruction. After complaints were lodged, Dr. Hough was initially suspended in September 2020. What followed was a series of postponed inquiries, withdrawn legal representatives, and a flurry of applications.

He failed to attend scheduled hearings, presented sick notes, and applied for a permanent stay of proceedings. When that failed, his lawyers withdrew. He then filed for the recusal of the chairperson. That too was dismissed. He launched review applications on the eve of new hearings, further dragging out the process.

Finally, in June of this year, the inquiry proceeded in his absence. He was found guilty on two counts of unprofessional conduct and acquitted on five others, largely because the complainant in those cases was not available for cross examination. The HPCSA removed his name from the medical register, barring him from practice for good.

The Court’s Rebuke and a Glimmer of Hope

Still, Dr. Hough fought back. He lodged an internal appeal and went to the Pretoria High Court to try and suspend the HPCSA’s sanction, arguing he was suffering financial prejudice.

The court’s response earlier this month was a firm rebuke. Acting Judge Jacques Minnaar, after analyzing the extensive record, found no grounds to suggest Dr. Hough had a strong chance of success on appeal. He dismissed the application with costs, noting that the financial prejudice to the doctor could not be viewed in isolation. The implication was clear: the scales of justice needed to balance his claims against the serious nature of the allegations and the need for public accountability.

This legal defeat cleared the path for what happened on Tuesday morning. Dr. Hough, accompanied by his attorney, handed himself over to the police. For the five women who first reported their cases back in 2020, his day in criminal court represents more than just an arrest. It is the hope that after a decade of silence and legal wrangling, their voices will finally be heard in a criminal dock.

{Source: TimesLive}

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