DA barred from entering Gauteng Hospitals in unconstitutional bid to hide MEC’s failures

24 January 2024

In a shocking display of disregard for constitutional rights, MPLs Solly Msimanga, Jack Bloom, and Refiloe Ntsekhe were unlawfully denied access to Tembisa Hospital during an unannounced oversight visit today, upon instruction of Health MEC Nomanthu Nkomo Ralehoko. This denial follows distressing reports received by the Democratic Alliance (DA) alleging that patients were compelled to sleep in tents and on the floor. This refusal to grant access raises the question, MEC Ralehoko: What are you hiding?

Tembisa Hospital has become synonymous with illegality, marked by fraudulent transactions that have cost the institution nearly R1 billion. Shockingly, this includes the procurement of plastic buckets at an exorbitant cost of almost R10,000 each. The corruption plaguing Tembisa Hospital is not victimless; it directly impacts patients who bear the brunt, often at the cost of their lives, within a failing healthcare system.

The severity of corruption is further highlighted by the tragic fate of whistleblowers like Babbitt Deokaran, who paid the ultimate price for exposing rampant corruption within the department.

It is imperative that Health MEC Nomanthu Nkomo Ralehoko is held accountable for the unlawful denial of oversight at Tembisa Hospital. The blatant disregard for the rule of law by ANC Health MECs has contributed to the complete decay of the Gauteng Health system. While companies aligned with the ANC are granted unchecked access to loot, it is the residents of Gauteng who bear the brunt of this crisis.

The DA will initiate proceedings against Health MEC Ralehoko for obstructing the constitutional mandate of MPLs to conduct oversight. The widespread corruption and maladministration within our Gauteng health system must be brought to light. Additionally, we will be pressing Parliament to account for the absence of any arrests thus far, despite the well-documented corruption outlined in the SIU report, which has severely impacted Tembisa Hospital.

Issued by Solly Msimanga, DA Gauteng Premier Candidate, 24 January 2024