Limpopo health MEC Dr. Phophi Ramathuba continued with her crusade of berating Zimbabweans seeking medical attention from hospitals under her jurisdiction accusing them of depriving health services to locals.
Last week, Ramathuba torched a storm when she was seen in a video that went viral rebuking a Zimbabwean patient for allegedly exhausting her health budget.
In the latest video, Ramathuba is seen addressing a pregnant woman from Zimbabwe in a different hospital.
“For you, I must bill Mnangagwa because really I’m transporting you every time to come here. What is Mnangagwa doing? He is doing nothing and Phophi Ramathuba is doing his job. Mnangagwa is out of order. He must do his work. I’m going to bill him.” Ramathuba charged
She told members of staff around her to charge foreign nationals and send their bills to their respective governments.
“Let’s really be serious, let’s cost all the hospitals and we send the bill (for foreign nationals) to their governments. All the deliveries in our hospitals, those that have left, we must send it to their governments and I will even issue a press statement that the Limpopo government has sent a bill of so many millions for this month for Zimbabwean nationals who cross the bridge come and deliver.” she said.
Ramathuba said she had noticed that some Zimbabwean patients came from Zimbabwe with cards indicating the place of delivery as South Africa.
“That’s what their nurses are writing. Zimbabweans are planning to give birth in South Africa because there’s nothing there. As midwives, we can’t turn away mothers and babies, they’re not the ones that made Mnangagwa president,” she said
Addressing Parliament recently, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa defended Ramathuba saying the issue she raised was important though she raised it in the presence of a patient.
Zimbabweans have been flocking to South Africa owing to the deteriorating economy with those near the South African border crossing to Limpopo province seeking medical attention as health systems in the country have deteriorated.
