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South African Medical Doctor Accused Of Xenophobia Elected Premier Of Limpopo Province

9 months agoSat, 15 Jun 2024 09:36:07 GMT
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South African Medical Doctor Accused Of Xenophobia Elected Premier Of Limpopo Province

Controversial South African medical doctor and politician, Dr Phophi Constance Ramathuba, has made history by becoming Limpopo Province’s first female premier.

The former Limpopo MEC of Health was elected during a sitting of the seventh provincial legislature in Lebowakgomo earlier on Friday, 14 June.

In her maiden address as the newly elected premier, Ramathuba, who is a qualified medical doctor, said:

I am humbled and grateful to accept the responsibility entrusted to me as the Premier of this great province. I am deeply honoured for the opportunity to lead Limpopo towards a future of progress, prosperity and unity.

According to IOL, Ramathuba assumed the role of premier following Stanley Mathabatha’s announcement of withdrawal from the position during the 2024 general elections.

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Ramathuba stirred controversy in August 2022 when, as MEC, she berated a Zimbabwean female patient seeking surgery at Bela-Bela, a public hospital in South Africa’s Limpopo Province.

She was filmed telling the Zimbabwean woman that foreigners were overburdening South Africa’s health sector. Ramathuba said at the time:

You are supposed to be with Mnangagwa. You are killing my health system. When you guys are sick, you just say, “Let’s cross the Limpopo River; there’s an MEC there who’s running a charity department.”

The remarks attracted varying responses from people of all walks of life with fellow medical practitioners saying Ramathuba had violated the profession’s ethics.

Speaking to CITE after the ANC had nominated Ramathuba for the office of Limpopo Premier but before her election, some political commentators opined that she will continue to pursue her anti-migrant policies.

Dr Vusumuzi Sibanda, leader of the African Diaspora Global Network, said Dr Ramathuba is intolerant and xenophobic. He said:

She may lack tolerance for the migrant community, and her sentiments are quite rampant in the health sector in South Africa.

Dr. (Aaron) Motsoaledi, before he became (current) Minister of Home Affairs, was also engaged in similar conduct.

One can see a tendency to align with populist rhetorical sentiments to be seen as the next best available person for a particular position.

Obviously, from Dr Ramathuba’s sentiments, it is possible that she was positioning herself for a key government post.

We think she was bringing herself up to this position, positioning herself, putting herself on the map so that she could be seen as the right person for the province to deal with issues of people coming from across the border to seek assistance.

So, it is quite plausible that the only logical explanation for why she is now the candidate for the Premier position is because she has been positioning herself by showing that she saves the government a lot of money by chasing migrants. That is very, very unfortunate in a constitutional country like South Africa.

Dr Khanyile Mlotshwa, a critical studies scholar, said Dr Ramathuba may make it difficult for poor migrants to cross into South Africa. Said Mlotshwa:

Considering her strong views against foreign African nationals, it is possible that, if she became in charge of Limpopo province, she might try to create a province that acts as a wall between Johannesburg and the rest of Africa.

I said she might try to create a province that acts as a wall between Johannesburg and the rest of Africa, in that most poor migrants use the road into South Africa.

They will find it difficult, but not impossible, to cross Limpopo province and reach Gauteng province.

I say impossible because her efforts to close out foreign African nationals will fail, just as they failed under the apartheid government.

When Dr Ramathuba expressed those discriminatory sentiments, South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) called for her sacking due to her conduct.

The Zimbabwean Embassy in Pretoria expressed “shock and disbelief” over the video and conveyed its concerns through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa said that Ramathuba could have raised the issue of immigrants using South Africa’s healthcare services “in another way”.

While answering parliamentary questions, Ramaphosa said Ramathuba had “raised an important issue” of how “service delivery is affected by migration”. He said:

The MEC has raised an important issue that is currently under debate. Of course, she raised it in the presence of a patient, and I guess such an important issue could have been raised in another way, but that as it may, it has been raised and it has evoked debate not only in our country but also in Zimbabwe and also the rest of the continent.

It is a matter that is going to enjoy quite a lot of attendance even as we meet at head of states level to discuss what precisely the movement of people should really entail, what should accompany that in the form of services, health issues criminality and the rule of law, so all those matters are matters that are germane to the whole process of migration.

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40 Comments

@ · 9 months ago
Neocolonies refer to countries or territories that are economically or politically dominated by a more powerful nation, often a former colonial power. This dominance can take many forms, such as: 1. Economic control: Through foreign investment, trade agreements, or debt. 2. Political influence: Through diplomatic pressure, military presence, or support for specific political parties or leaders. 3. Cultural hegemony: Through the spread of language, education, media, and values. Neocolonialism is often seen as a subtle and indirect form of control, distinct from classical colonialism's direct political rule. Critics argue that neocolonialism perpetuates inequality, undermines local autonomy, and exploits resources. Examples of neocolonies include: 1. Many African countries, which gained independence from European powers but remain economically tied to their former colonizers. 2. Latin American countries, which have historically been influenced by the United States. 3. Pacific Island nations, which have been subject to economic and political influence by larger powers like Australia and the United States. It's important to note that the concept of neocolonialism is complex and contested, and its application can vary depending on the context.
Anonymous · 9 months ago
I can’t wait to vote for her to become a 1st female President.
Dd · 9 months ago
Hapana zvozikanwa apa
Ndisu · 9 months ago
Ukarwara usina Mari yokuenda kuneimwe nyika kundorapwa ndipo pauchaona Kuti above nomuono Kuti Mnangagwa ngaarege Kubata nyika noruboshwe agadzirise zveutano
Cee Bee 🐝 · 9 months ago
Haaa menefa this time
Anonymous · 9 months ago
Sort your own house and leave South Africans alone
🏃‍♀️ Chi baby Che Zanu 🌊 · 9 months ago
We're ok 👌 mu Zimbabwe. Our neighbours are learning a lot from us
👀👀 · 9 months ago
uri baba une musha ne mhuri wotadza kuriritira mhuri yako vana vomhanyira ku next door kunodya nekushanda nekurapwa kumuvakidzani nenyaya yekuti unesweronwa, kudya nema**** nematsotsi kumba uchinyepa kuti muvengi ndiye ari kukonzera kuti mumba make musawanikwa zvinodiwa , avo vari pedyo newe chete ndivo vamwe vaunoba navo zvinhu zvinofanira kushandiswa nemhuri ,wotaurirwa chokwadi wotsamwa , uyu Premier Phophi achagadzirisa Limpopo Province zvekuti vana vepanext door vacharega zvavanga vajaira kuita makore apfuura
WiFi · 9 months ago
Well said
Pasi Pamera Ziso · 9 months ago
Oh, that doctor who expressed her myopic sentiments about our people during their greatest time of need
Yoyoyo · 9 months ago
😁😁 kana hasha dzekushaya anosvi ra
🇿🇦 · 9 months ago
Phophi is the rightful premier elect of the Limpopo Province as she will soon stop all the border jumpers from the northern country and deport all undocumented foreigners in this province
🏃‍♀️ Chi baby Che Zanu 🌊 · 9 months ago
Tisu takatanga nazvo zve gender equality mu SADC.. Bvunza vaMugabe
Augs · 9 months ago
Vana nhingi
Ndevuzoqethu · 9 months ago
She's a strong woman indeed, she cares for her people. Remember the biblical Moses killed for the love of his people. We may call it xenophobia this blah blah, but was just expressing his patriotic spirit attached to his country. Never mind the psychological black mail directed to the Zim principal, it went home.
warwadzirwa Nei · 9 months ago
she good at her job and if she hurt Mnangagwa's feelings ,its clear , she is being rewarded for ir
...,. · 9 months ago
we zimbabweans need to work and create conditions which are good for ourselves. we have the resources. the south africans voted and they have the best government which reflects the will of the people there. it is some zimbabweans who are not happy and worried with what happened in south Africa as they seem some of the loopholes they exploited being closed out as south Africa shifts from power party and personal politics to the politics of nation building. the doctor was elevated to that post because the people in Limpopo know that she has them at heart. we need to make our own conditions good for ourselves as things will get harder for our relatives in south africa as they unite and move their country forward.
1
Verbatim bulletin · 9 months ago
Ka zhinji ukaona wacho ari against ma Zimbo largely ma descendants ake ndeekunyika yaanobva iyoyo
Noob · 9 months ago
Saying Zimbabweans should seek medical care in Zimbabwe not in Limpopo - South Africa is NOT XENOPHOBIA BUT THE TRUTH.Its like saying my kids should eat dinner next door because tinogara muraini one
Gunvosta · 9 months ago
chachaya vanga vajaira kuti ANC inongovasiya vachiita yavanoda this time around kwapindira vamwe DA won't tolerate NONSENSE and Phophi haasi wema funnies
Unpatriotic · 9 months ago
yaaa ban Zimbabweans ikoko ngavauye vose kuno kunyika inerifa
Sultanate of Bhurunai · 9 months ago
I miss you my 😘 😘 phophi ndouya ikoko next week
Chibaba · 9 months ago
Kasukuwere how far about a new Zimbabwe we want all.
Cde hondo · 9 months ago
Blame zanu pf not the south African doctor...
tino the single guy · 9 months ago
vanhu ngavadzoke vagadzirise musha not kungochema kuti Xenophobia Xenophobia nonsense mhani
VaBhomba · 9 months ago
enda kunobo nyora iwe
Anonymous · 9 months ago
Go on close the border Po

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