Dr. Ramathuba created outrage in August 2022 when, as MEC,
she berated a Zimbabwean female patient seeking surgery at Bela-Bela, a public
hospital. She was filmed telling the Zimbabwean woman that Zimbabwe, not South
Africa, must take responsibility for her health issues.
“You are supposed to be with Mnangagwa,” Dr Ramathuba said
at the time. “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.’”
These sentiments arise as Zimbabweans watch political
developments in South Africa with keen interest after the May 29, 2024,
elections created a stalemate, forcing the African National Congress (ANC) into
government of national unity (GNU) negotiations with opposition parties. In
these negotiations, it has been said the Patriotic Alliance (PA) opposition
party wants the Home Affairs portfolio.
However, in Limpopo province, the former ruling party won a
clear majority to create a provincial government for the next five years, and
Dr Ramathuba looks set to become the Limpopo Premier. If this happens, Limpopo
province is expected to have its first female Premier.
Dr. Ramathuba was criticised on social media for violating
medical ethics, while South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) called for
her sacking due to her conduct.
In interviews with CITE, Dr Vusumuzi Sibanda, leader of the
African Diaspora Global Network, said Dr Ramathuba has shown a lot of hatred
for the migrant community, which is concerning given that Limpopo is a border
post town frequented by many migrants entering the country.
“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,” he said, noting that Dr Motsoaledi was in the health
sector before moving to Home Affairs.
Dr Sibanda said, “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 the
potential new leader of Limpopo province may continue perpetuating
discriminatory tendencies against African migrants, which is unfortunate.
“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,” he said.
Dr Mlotshwa noted that while migrants may struggle to
operate under Dr. Ramathuba’s watch, discriminatory or xenophobic policies
frequently fail.
“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,” he said.
However, the Chairperson of the Zimbabwean Community in
South Africa, Nicholas Ngqabutho Mabhena, doubted she had been positioning
herself for the Premier post, saying she was a senior ANC member in Limpopo.
“I do not think so. She is one of the senior members of the
ANC in the province. Each province is asked to nominate three candidates, and
the ANC officials select the Premier,” he said.
When Dr Ramathuba expressed those discriminatory
sentiments, the Zimbabwean Embassy in South Africa stated it watched her video
with shock and disbelief, noting that the two neighbouring countries have
appropriate channels for communication that should be fully used to raise
grievances. CITE
