EFF, DA call for Phophi Ramathuba to be axed as MEC after hospital outburst

The DA and EFF have called for the removal of Limpopo health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba after her “inhumane” comments to a patient.

A video has surfaced online showing the MEC confronting a hospital patient about getting medical attention in SA, saying Zimbabwe president Emmerson Mnangagwa does not contribute to Limpopo's health budget.

“The EFF calls for the immediate removal of the cynical, arrogant and morally bankrupt MEC of health in Limpopo, Phophi Ramathuba, for her inhumane comments towards a sickly patient in a hospital in Bela Bela,” spokesperson Sinawo Tambo said.

“The hateful comments, which were in full view of individuals who laughed at the merciless shaming of a patient, reveal a shocking hatred for a fellow human being by someone tasked with protecting and saving human life.

“It is a slippery slope, because health rights are human rights and to attempt to rationalise the denial of the provision of healthcare on the basis of someone’s nationality will lead to gross human [rights] violations whose logic is pure hatred.”

The EFF accused Ramathuba of being a populist who is joining the “pretentious and opportunistic campaign by the ANC to shift the responsibility of SA on so-called foreign nationals”.

The DA in Limpopo has written to the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on the issue.

“There are legislative channels the MEC can explore to deal with the challenges of resources that do not include embarrassing a patient seeking medical assistance,” said Risham Maharaj, MPL and DA Limpopo spokesperson for health.

“As an MEC, she should have treated the situation with the necessary sensitivity despite her frustrations and ensured the foreign national is afforded the same level of respect and treatment as any other patient.”

The DA accused Ramathuba of being an underachiever in her role as MEC and not adequately overseeing “the lacklustre performance of the province's health department”.

“She cannot place the difficulty of running the province’s health department on foreign nationals alone and sidestep years of her department's failures, corruption, mismanagement and incompetence.

“This incident is just another reason she must be fired to save the province’s health system.”

The DA will also file a complaint with the Limpopo legislature ethics committee and the Health Professions Council of SA.

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