Today, during the Portfolio Committee meeting on Health, Minister Aaron Motsoaledi admitted that the ongoing KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) oncology crisis was due to the severe lack of human resources and procurement issues.
The time has now come for the Minister to do the right thing and remove MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo from his position. The MEC clearly does not care about the sick and vulnerable who depend on him.
As the MEC, it is his responsibility to ensure that hospitals under his supervision have the necessary skilled human resources to operate live saving machinery.
However, during the meeting today, MEC Dhlomo dodged accountability and shifted the blame to anyone and anything, in an attempt to sugar coat the tragic reality of his failing leadership.
MEC Dhlomo simply cannot sugar coat the deaths of hundreds of people due to his mismanagement.
There must be justice for those who lost their lives. And the DA demands that heads must roll for this crisis, as it’s abundantly clear that the MEC failed cancer patients in KZN due to his gross mismanagement.
During the proceedings, Minister Motsoaledi also announced urgent intervention by the National Department of Health. The Minister proposed that a task team be established to oversee the improvement of oncology services in KZN. Although we welcome this promise by the Minister, it is too little too late.
The truth is that the Minister had been aware of this crisis since 2014.
The DA reiterates the finding from the South African Human Rights Commission report: “The Commission cannot find that the Respondents complied with their obligation to provide access to health care services to cancer patients. Accordingly, the Department of Health, both nationally and provincially failed to take reasonable measures to progressively realise the right to have access to health care services in the KZN province”.
Minister Motsoaledi must act urgently to address this crisis and act immediately to hold the MEC to account. There is no other option, he must be dismissed for his role in this crisis.