Pearl Thusi weighs in on Dr Phophi Ramathuba’s outburst
Pearl Thusi says the South African government should confront the Zimbabwean government instead of "desperate citizens".
Social media has been buzzing over the past two days after a video went viral showing Limpopo Health MEC confronting a Zimbabwean citizen undergoing treatment in a hospital in Limpopo.
The MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, told the citizen that foreigners are "killing" her health system as she has a limited budget which is for helping people in the Limpopo province who do not have medical aid.
"Instead of using the budget for what it's meant for, I’m operating for what Mnangagwa is supposed to do. That is why when my people of Limpopo want health services, they can’t get. That is angering the community," she said in the video which has since gone viral.
READ: No medical xenophobia in SA - Health Dept
Later during an interview, the MEC explained that the patient was injured in Harare, but left her home country to seek help in South Africa. She added that there has been an influx of foreign nationals coming to seek free medical help in South Africa, which is putting a strain on the country's health system.
"In treating the orthopaedic surgery backlog, I went to a ward and, out of 27 patients, 19 were illegal foreign nationals. The one said he got into an accident in Harare and came here because he heard there is Dr Phophi bringing specialist doctors to Musina for operations," she told News24.
“If she came here for an emergency or she was pregnant you would be justified in criticising me, but this patient got an accident in Harare. She told me a family friend told her to come to Limpopo, she would get help,” she told Times Live.
Social media has been left divided over whether the MEC was right to address the patient while she was lying on a hospital bed.
South African media personality Pearl Thusi says the government should not take out its frustrations on foreigners, but should confront the Zimbabwean government.
"Cowardice actions are attacking the weak instead of confronting the RESPONSIBLE. Why is the SA govt afraid of this confrontation? Why are they attacking desperate citizens? No one would leave their own country to get their needs met if their own govt prioritized them," she wrote on Twitter.
READ: DA lays charge against MEC Phophi Ramathuba over Zimbabwe patient video
She added that South African citizens should be given priority as they are already suffering.
"SA ppl[people] are already suffering & should be prioritized. It’s a shame that a defenseless woman has to receive the speech our govt should give to Zim govt directly. But the very ppl [people] suffering are now the scape goat being used to express frustrations [with] something beyond their control.
"Being let down by your own govt only to find yourself illegally entering other countries says so much about the Zimbabwean govt. Zim people deserve better- & unfortunately the SA govt is already doing its own looting while overwhelmed by the needs of its own ppl [people]."
She concluded by asking Twitter users if they would rather die in their own home or illegally cross a border to save their lives?
"In a life and death situation - &I’m just asking- ONLY in a life or death situation- would you die at home or illegally cross a border for a surgery to save yourself?
What are your thoughts?," she asked.
READ: Pearl Thusi on why she doesn't "take the Grammys too seriously"
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