Phophi Ramathuba Says She Is Hurt By Zim's Collapsed Healthcare System

The South African Member of the Executive Council of Health in Limpopo Province, Phophi Ramathuba, says the Southern African Development Community (SADC) should urgently act on the matter of Zimbabweans flooding South Africa for healthcare and other services.

Speaking exclusively to NewsDay yesterday, Ramathuba said he has nothing personal against Zimbabweans in general or President Emmerson Mnangagwa in particular. She said:

Heads of State must address this issue as a matter of urgency so that they come up with a solution to help everyone.

This issue needs to be elevated to that level. This is not just a Zimbabwean problem.

It is not like I am disrespecting Mnangagwa, but addressing him as the face of the country and when things go wrong, he is the best person to call.

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When we (were growing) up, we used to know that the best primary healthcare system was found in Zimbabwe and it is painful to learn that all that is gone.

Ramathuba said South Africans were currently angry as they have to share national resources with foreigners and this may result in people taking up matters into their own hands. She said:

When we see problems and ignore them, people will take matters into their hands.

When we speak and fail to resolve problems, there will be anger, and there is anger among South Africans.

Section 27 (of the South African Constitution) is clear on the provision of emergency health services in South Africa.

However, there is a misconception that primary healthcare is free in this country.

Everybody must pay until they prove they cannot. We treat everyone, but what we want is co-operation from them.

She said categories range from H0 to H3, where H0 are pensioners and the unemployed who enjoy full subsidisation.

H1 are for partial subsidisation having less than R70 000 single income or R100 000 family income per year.

H2 are those with R70 000 to R100 000 single income or R250 000 to R350 000 family income per year.

H3 have than R250 000 single income or R350 000 family income per year and they also enjoy partial subsidisation.

Responding to a question from opposition EFF’s Floyd Shivambu in Parliament on Tuesday, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa said issues raised by the MEC needed to be discussed at the Heads of African governments level. He said:

The MEC has raised an important issue that is under debate and, of course, she raised it with a patient and I guess, it is such an important issue, it could have been raised in another way.

It’s a matter that is going to require a lot of attention even as we meet at the Head of State level to discuss precisely what the movement of people should really entail.