Cape Town – The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has started an inquiry into Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba’s alleged misconduct following her controversial comments to an undocumented Zimbabwean patient in 2022.
Ramathuba had told the patient they were straining the South African healthcare system, prompting backlash and complaints by advocacy groups.
In avideo that went viral at the time, Ramathuba was heard telling the patient that her country, Zimbabwe, should take responsibility for health care, not South Africa.
She said that Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa was not contributing to Limpopo’s health budget.
“You are supposed to be with Mnangagwa. You are killing my health system. When you guys are sick you just say, ‘let’s cross the Limpopo river, there’s a MEC there who’s running a charity department,” said Ramathuba.
In any normal country this video would be the leading item on all news stations & newspapers, and it would cause emergency debate in parliament tomorrow morning, but not in Zimbabwe.
This South African minister is right, Zimbabwe has become an embarrassment due to ZANUPF LOOTING pic.twitter.com/XzCWRHx9GN
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) August 23, 2022
She said her department was given a budget based on the statistics of the province, however, the influx of foreign nationals had made it difficult to service people from the province.
“In Limpopo, we have 5.7-million people, 91% do not have medical aid, they are dependent on the state. The 9% have medical aids. Instead of using the budget for what it’s meant for … You are not even registered anywhere, you are illegal … This is unfair …,” she said.
According to The Citizen, the HPCSA inquiry into Ramathuba’s conduct began after her failed attempt to block the proceedings.
Ramathuba argued that her remarks, made as Limpopo Health MEC to an undocumented Zimbabwean patient, fell outside HPCSA jurisdiction as they weren’t from her role as a doctor.
She also claimed that the inquiry violated her constitutional rights.
However, the court rejected her appeal, citing her active status as a registered health professional under HPCSA regulations, affirming the Council’s authority to assess her conduct.
Follow African Insider on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram
Picture: Twitter/ @DimitryHlonisky
For more Africannews, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
