Pretoria – There has been mixed reactions to the recorded video of an outburst by Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba during an interaction with an undocumented Zimbabwean national who was in a Limpopo hospital.
After the patient tells the MEC that she speaks Shona, a dominant language in Zimbabwe, the Limpopo government official questions the patient.
“You speak Shona? And how do you end up being in Bela-Bela when you are supposed to be with Mnangagwa? You know he doesn’t give me money to operate you guys? And I am operating you with my limited budget,” the MEC said.
The frail-sounding patient says she appreciates the service, and Ramathuba responded:
“You can’t appreciate that. You are killing my health system. When you guys are sick these days, I hear you just say, let us cross the Limpopo River, there is an MEC there who is running a charity department. It’s not,” the MEC continued addressing the bed-ridden patient, with a crew of health officials laughing loudly.
In the three-minute rant, the MEC also tells the patient that she has been operating patients “for what Mnangagwa is supposed to do”.
Ramathuba’s remarks, which have been widely reported in the news in different African countries, including South Africa and Zimbabwe, have garnered opposing opinions on social media platforms.
Media personality Redi Thlabi commented: “Cowardly. Bullying, or if she is so incensed, she could ask President Ramaphosa to relay her message to Mnangagwa”.
Cowardly. Bullying..Or if she is so incensed, she could ask President Ramaphosa to relay her message to Mnangagwa. https://t.co/MgQbASG0wd
— Redi Tlhabi (@RediTlhabi) August 23, 2022
Eusebius McKaiser wrote on Twitter: “The South African state will STILL be sick once the last foreign national has been ejected in an orgy of state-sponsored scapegoating. Why? Because the systemic rot in the ANC-led government is NOT reducible to foreign nationals. It’s the ANC’s moral implosion that got us here”.
The South African state will STILL be sick once the last foreign national has been ejected in an orgy of state-sponsored scapegoating.
Why? Because the systemic rot in the ANC-led government is NOT reducible to foreign nationals.
It's the ANC's moral implosion that got us here.
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) August 23, 2022
Economic Freedom Fighters deputy president Floyd Shivambu criticised Ramathuba for “abusing” the patient.
Shivambu, who also hails from Limpopo, wrote on Twitter: “Dr Phophi has certainly violated the Hippocratic Oath which obliges all Physicians/Doctors to “abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free”. This is unfair abuse and discrimination”.
“Dr”. Phophi has certainly violated the Hippocratic Oath which obliges all Physicians/Doctors to “abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free”. This is unfair abuse & discrimination. pic.twitter.com/EARJ6gzpbf
— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) August 24, 2022
Another Twitter user, Sesi Aki, voiced support for the MEC: “Dr Phophi Ramathuba is the kind of decisive leadership we need”.
Dr Phophi Ramathuba is the kind of decisive leadership we need!
— Sesi Aki 💙 (@Akani_Akiii) August 24, 2022
Another Twitter user, Shokwakhe, wrote: “Dr Phophi is expressing views of #PutSouthAfricansFirst so she must be defended. We will deal with ANC in 2024 #HandsOffDrPhophi.
Dr. Phophi is expressing views of #PutSouthAfricansFirst so she muat be defended. We will deal with ANC in 2024#HandsOffDrPhophi
— Shokwakhe (@Shokwakhe16) August 24, 2022
One South Africa Movement leader Mmusi Maimane wrote: “Our healthcare system fails because billions have been looted in PPE fraud. R500 000 was spent on skinny jeans. Babita Deokaran was killed after flagging R850 million of dodgy payments from Tembisa Hospital. ANC ministers and MECs are church quiet about this rampant looting”.
Our healthcare system fails because billions have been looted in PPE fraud.
R500 000 was spent on skinny jeans. Babita Deokaran was killed after flagging R850 million of dodgy payments from Tembisa Hospital.
ANC ministers and MECs are church quiet about this rampant looting.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) August 24, 2022
