Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has warned that the unchecked influx of undocumented foreigners threatens a “spectacular collapse” of South Africa’s public services and social stability, in remarks that reiterate her long-standing stance on immigration.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday World, Ramathuba insisted that South Africans must be made a priority when it comes to the provision of services, and certain jobs and economic activity must be reserved for them.
This should be extended beyond healthcare, including in the provision of education and allocation of jobs, the ANC Limpopo chairperson, whose star is on the rise in the party, said.
Ramathuba, who denied rumours she was being touted as a possible candidate for the deputy presidency of the ANC in 2027, said it was impossible to expect South Africa to carry the burden for the rest of the continent at the expense of its own citizens. “The reality was that South Africa cannot be expected to play big brother to the rest of the continent when it has problems of its own.”
In August 2022, while health MEC in Limpopo, Ramathuba drew widespread condemnation when she was filmed chastising a woman who had been involved in a car accident in Zimbabwe but went to a hospital in Limpopo for treatment.
In the video, which went viral on social media, she is heard telling the patient, an undocumented migrant, that Zimbabwe must take responsibility for her health issues instead of South Africa.
“You are killing my health system,” she admonished the patient, telling her South Africa was operating with a limited health budget.
The remarks were widely condemned, with parties including the EFF and DA demanding her resignation. The DA in Limpopo laid a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, while the Helen Suzman Foundation reported her to the Health Professions Council.
This week, the medical doctor-turned-politician doubled down on her stance, saying South Africans in Limpopo must get priority assistance ahead of illegal foreigners.
“The fact of the matter is that South Africa has got its own citizens that it owes everything to. We owe South Africans quality healthcare; therefore, as much as we would want to be a big brother in SADC or on the continent, we must never think we can hold the problems of healthcare in the SADC region or on the continent on our own. There is no way.
“We can open the gates and allow everybody to come in, [but] we are just going to collapse,” Ramathuba said.
She was adamant her views should not be regarded as xenophobic, saying Limpopo emergency and healthcare services often catered to undocumented migrants during her tenure as health MEC.
However, she argued this should not extend to all forms of care. “We have a backlog of surgical patients of our own people. We owe it to our people to provide quality healthcare. Health is a basic human right.”
Ramathuba said as premier it had dawned on her that the problem of undocumented migrants was far bigger than the abuse of healthcare services. Illegal foreigners were often associated with violent crimes that police found difficult to crack and arrest perpetrators for.
“You hear of farm owners, black and white, being killed, but police are not able to crack these cases because some of these murders are committed by those who are not documented in the country.”
The education system and economy were also under pressure from unchecked migration, she said.
Delivering the January 8 speech at the Moruleng stadium in North West yesterday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government will be tightening border and immigration systems to better manage movement into the country, and is looking at new laws to put South Africans first in line for jobs, especially because unemployment is high.
“The government continues to strengthen immigration management through the Border Management Authority, the review of immigration policies and legislation, and regulations that prioritise employment for South Africans, particularly in the context of high unemployment.”
He said South Africa’s borders were easy to cross illegally, and the government was planning to strengthen border control “as part of efforts to combat illegal mining, organised crime, and terrorism”.
Ramathuba said she was unfazed by criticism of her views on social media.
“Keyboard warriors on social media networks must also begin to self-introspect about their own contribution to the problem of illegal migrants.
“When I am busy on Twitter insulting the government, knowing that my domestic worker is undocumented, I [should] know I am part of the problem.”
