‘Dr Phophi Ramathuba is right but used the wrong platform to address foreign patients’ issue’
Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba used the wrong platform to address the frustrations of her department, the Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union said on Thursday.
The union was responding to Dr Ramathuba’s comment in a video clip that undocumented migrants were causing a huge strain on the Limpopo health system.
In the video, Ramathuba told a patient at the Bela-Bela Hospital that she would not be discharged until she settled her bill.
“Sissy (sister) you won’t be discharged before you settle your …” Ramathuba said in the video.
The president of the Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union, Rich Sicina, said it was unethical for Ramathuba to address a patient in that manner.
“We condemned that behaviour of comrade Phophi Ramathuba. We are not against what she uttered there, everything she said is correct in as far as overpopulation of our health-care facilities and the discord in our health-care facilities in the public sector, in particular, it is correct.
“But the manner she conducted herself … was not correct because we are a union and we have represented nurses who were charged by the same system for doing exactly the same thing that Ramathuba did,” Sicina said.
He said what Ramathuba said was correct but she used the wrong platform to say it.
He said health facilities, particularly in Limpopo, were overwhelmed, to the extent that in a 35-bed hospital 15 patients were undocumented foreign nationals.
“We do nurse them, and we talk to them ….”
He said some foreign nationals told them that they came to South Africa because the health care was free.
He said one woman travelled from Zimbabwe for her child to be treated for a fractured arm because she did not have money to pay for her child to receive treatment there.
He said Ramathuba was supposed to raise her concerns at the ANC conference, because it was where they were supposed to address issues of the Constitution.
“Section 27 of our Constitution allows everyone who lives in South Africa, regardless of nationality, colour and race, it does not matter as long as you live in South Africa you have a right to access the health-care system and if you do not have money you still have a right to access that particular health system.”
-IOL
In other news – What happened after Zozibini Tunzi’s bodyguard stopped Makhadzi from hugging her
South African stars, Makhadzi and Zozibini Tunzi had tongues wagging when a video of their brief interaction getting disrupted by a bodyguard, went viral.
Makhadzi and Zozibini Tunzi were at the Miss South Africa 2022 which was held at the SunBet Arena at Time Square in Pretoria. The Ghanama hitmaker got the opportunity to meet two of the judges. First, it was the former Miss South Africa 2019 and then the former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela. Learn More
