The Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is expected to continue hearing the matter of Limpopo Premier, Dr. Phophi Ramathuba in Pretoria this morning.
This is over the 2022 utterances Ramathuba made to a patient who came from Zimbabwe at Bela Bela Hospital, when she was the province’s Health MEC.
The incident, which sparked public outcry, was recorded in a cellphone video, which went viral on social media platforms.
In the video, Ramathuba told the patient that Zimbabwe does not assist with money to care for its nationals being treated in Limpopo hospitals.
The HPCSA has been hearing the matter in Ramathuba’s absentia, after she indicated that she would not be available.
The African National Congress (ANC) in Limpopo says it supports Ramathuba as in its view, the case does not hold water.
Health activist Dr Kgosi Letlape says, “We must not be unmindful of the fact that we have political conundrum where we have a constitution that creates an unfunded mandate and part of the challenge we have is that we have resources that are not sufficient for citizens, but have been opened up for anyone in the world to come in.”