While Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba has been praised by some for berating a patient in front of her entourage, some professionals and health bodies have labelled her a bully who used the wrong platform to address issues, bringing the profession into disrepute.

Ramathuba – a rising star in the ANC – was heard telling a Zimbabwean patient that she would be confined to the Bela Bela Hospital in Limpopo until she paid her medical bills.

A video clip on her tirade made headlines last week.

The Sunday Tribune reports that the patient was in a car accident in Zimbabwe but came to SA for treatment. She was allegedly undocumented and was awaiting surgery.

Ramathuba told her that Zimbabwe should be responsible for her health bill as Limpopo had a limited budget. She went on to say that the SA health system is not a charity.

Medical staff in Limpopo say the province’s health system is on the verge of collapse due to the strain foreigners are putting on it.

‘We have raised this issue with the last two health Ministers,’ said Michael Ndwambi, senior clinical manager at Tshilidzini Hospital in Thohoyandou.

‘We are overrun by foreign patients and barely have the budget needed to care for our South African ones.’

The Sunday Times visited several hospitals in Limpopo last week. It found highly frustrated and demoralised staff who are battling to give patients the care they need.

Ntovhedzeni Ligege, the CEO of Messina Hospital – the closest South African hospital to the Zimbabwe border – is worried.

‘We are supposed to have 32 doctors. At the moment, we have 19. So we are already struggling under our caseload. The constant influx of patients from other countries is exacerbating an already crisis situation. And it is destroying our budget.’

Full Sunday Tribune report

Full Sunday Times report