From blessers to mjolo and burials: Five other outbursts by MEC Phophi Ramathuba

Limpopo health MEC Phophi Ramathuba continues to make headlines after claiming migrants are placing a strain on the province's healthcare system. 

Ramathuba was caught on video telling a foreign hospital patient the provincial health department is not a charity organisation.

Her statement angered many, including the DA and EFF, who called it xenophobic.

According to News24, the department of international relations & co-operation (Dirco) said it would not get involved. 

Spokesperson Clayson Monyela said Ramathuba’s outburst was not yet “a diplomatic incident”.

“If Zimbabwe was to raise the incident through diplomatic channels, only then would Dirco become involved. So far, it’s not a diplomatic incident. It has not been elevated,” he said.

He also suggested the outburst was not xenophobic, saying: “You guys need to revisit the meaning of the word xenophobia. It's ridiculous how you misuse and abuse it.”

Here are five other outbursts by Ramathuba that made headlines:

'Open your books and close your legs

Earlier this year, Ramathuba was criticised on social media after a video emerged of her advising schoolgirls to “open your books and close your legs”. 

Ramathuba made the comments during a visit to Gwenane Secondary School in Sekgakgapeng to monitor the first day of the new academic year. 

“To the girl child, I say: Open your books, and close your legs. Don’t open your legs, open your books,” she said. 

Amid backlash, Ramathuba told TshisaLIVE critics used the video clip out of context and chose to be ignorant about the factors that make teenage pregnancy a problem in rural areas and townships.

'Mjolo slaps better when you are protected'

Ramathuba again raised eyebrows with her department's campaign slogan to ramp up vaccination among citizens 18 and older.

The department unveiled the campaign on social media, including the catchy phrase “mjolo [dating] slaps better when protected”. 

“No condom, no sex. No vaccine certificate, no dating,” read the post. 

Defending the campaign, Ramathuba told Newzroom Afrika the slogan was intended to “speak” to young adults because “mjolo is their thing”. 

“When we are targeting a certain grouping, the messages will talk to that particular grouping,” she said.

'No-one will die because you weren't part of a funeral'

At the height of Covid-19 infections last year, Ramathuba faced backlash after telling mourners to reconsider attending funerals and instead offer “virtual support” to grieving families.

She said catering and weekly visits to grieving families during the pandemic were “not necessary”.

“No-one will die because you were not part of a funeral,” she said.

'Teachers are not midwives'

In 2019, Ramathuba came under fire for saying teachers are not midwives after a spate of teen pregnancies at Limpopo schools in 2018.

She was accused of wanting to exclude pregnant pupils after making the statement on Twitter. 

“We agreed with pupils that MEC [Ishmael] Kgetjepe doesn’t appoint midwives he appoints teachers, whose primary role is to teach, so there is no room for pregnancy at school. When you are in labour at school you expect teachers to progress you and it’s unfair. They promised it won’t happen,” she tweeted. 

Defending herself, Ramathuba argued that society needed to be brutal when tackling teenage pregnancy.

“Talking about pregnancy is not taboo. A lot has been done in terms of sex education. These kids know exactly what contraceptives are or how they work. We need to be brutal in talking about these things and tell it like it is,” she said. 

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