KZN health MEC slams predecessor over 'missed' parliamentary meeting

KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu has come under fire from parliament's health portfolio committee for failing to attend a scheduled meeting.

In a statement, portfolio chair Sibongiseni Dhlomo expressed disappointment at Simelane-Zulu’s no-show and lambasted her for “delaying the programme of the committee”.

The committee further agreed that the matter should be reported to the speaker of parliament and the house chairperson.

Simelane-Zulu, in a scathing statement, accused Dhlomo of “administrative overreach”, saying she had asked to be excused from the meeting five days ago due to a provincial cabinet meeting.

“The chairperson should know better than to make these false accusations. He had an opportunity to engage with me or the premier if he needed clarity on why I excused myself. Unfortunately, he once again opted to talk to us through the media, by issuing a statement,” she said.

“He has previously gone to the Magwaza Maphalala [Gale] Street and Park Rynie medico-legal mortuaries and issued statements without talking to us.

“In fact ... if he had bothered to check his e-mail, or if his office was organised, he would have realised that I tendered my apology on August 14 — five days ago. In my apology, I even made it clear the head of the department would be representing me at the meeting.”

Simelane-Zulu also took the opportunity to address Dhlomo and his “antics” in “recent months”, saying he left her no option but to suspect that he has “not accepted that he is no longer the MEC, and that he wants to continue leading from the grave, long after his tenure has ended”.

“Perhaps the time has come for the chairperson to be reminded that he had 10 years at the helm of the department, and that his predecessor never engaged in this type of behaviour. He must just stop. He must learn to let go,” she added.

Dhlomo — himself a former KZN health MEC — said he had informed Simelane-Zulu that the committee meeting was scheduled for Wednesday and that there was no other day when members could attend.

“The committee adjourned the meeting, as committee members were of the view that the meeting could not continue when the MEC was absent. The committee said the absence of the MEC is delaying the programme of the committee,” he said.

“The committee said it is unacceptable for the MEC to tender an apology just before the start of the meeting. The committee said the MEC knew about the meeting and did not formally write to the committee to indicate that she would not be available.”

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