DA lays charge against MEC Phophi Ramathuba over Zimbabwe patient video

This follows a video which shows the MEC berating a patient in a room full of onlookers at a hospital in Bela Bela.

In the video,  Ramathuba asks the Zimbabwean patient what is a Shona speaker doing in Bela-Bela when they are supposed to be with [Zimbabwean President Emmerson] Mnangagwa.

Ramathuba later lashes out at the patient for being an illegal migrant and blaming foreign nationals for “killing her health system”.

"You are even illegal, and you are abusing me, this is unfair. I can't go to Zimbabwe and get health care, do you think they will allow me to operate? It is for their own people [citizens]. When you guys are sick I am hearing these days that you say let us cross the Limpopo river, there is a MEC there who is running a charity department. It is not."

DA Limpopo Health Spokesperson Risham Maharaj said the MEC is using foreign nationals as a scapegoat and blaming them for the province’s ailing health system.

"We consider Ramathuba’s comments xenophobic, and inconsistent with the standard of treatment that should be afforded to a patient. There are legislative channels the MEC can explore instead of embarrassing a patient seeking medical assistance."

"Her irresponsible utterances might even stoke xenophobic attacks from locals who believe foreign nationals are responsible for the poor healthcare services in Limpopo. The DA will file a complaint with the Limpopo Legislature Ethics Committee and the Health Professions Council of South Africa over the conduct of Ramathuba in the video."

Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called for the MEC to be fired over her remarks.

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