The ANC in Limpopo has closed ranks around the province’s health MEC, Phophi Ramathuba, who is under fire following an exchange she had with a Zimbabwean woman receiving treatment at a hospital in Bela Bela.
Ramathuba drew both praise and scorn after the dissemination of a video clip that showed her telling an “undocumented” patient that she must seek medical care from Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa because her department does not have the budget to assist illegal foreigners.
The ANC in the province has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the issue of undocumented foreigners milking the state purse countrywide.
ANC provincial spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said the ANC in Limpopo is rallying behind Ramathuba without any reservation.
“The sad reality is that when you look at these foreign nationals, where there are criminal activities that are committed by them, it is very difficult to trace them.
“They seem to be involved in multiple wrongdoings and the sad reality is that they are not here in South Africa legally,” Machaka told Sunday World.
“We are not against any foreign national that in this country … all that we are against is those who are in the country without proper legal documentation.
“There’s nothing untoward with what was said by Limpopo health MEC and … we fully support her sentiments,” he said.
Machaka said the party in the province was “glad that the MEC raised the bar by inviting national and provincial dialogue around the issue of illegal immigrants”.
During an interview with Sunday World, Ramathuba said hospitals in Limpopo have seen an influx of foreigners treated at the expense of its rural poor people.
“I’m not being xenophobic but telling the truth…. It can’t be correct that undocumented foreign nationals benefit from our citizens.
“This is unfair because if you go to their country such conduct does not happen,” Ramthuba said.
Limpopo has a surgical backlog, said Ramathuba, adding that this affects ordinary citizens who cannot afford medical aid and therefore there’s a need to seriously deal with the issue of the influx of illegal immigrants.
“Even now in Tshilidzini hospital, 27 people were operated on, however, within that number, 19 were undocumented foreign nationals.
“I will do everything in my power to protect the right of the people of Limpopo to benefit from the health sector,” Ramathuba said.
The Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters have called for her removal from office.
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