Viral rant haunts Phophi

Hearing underway after Ramathuba’s legal bid to halt proceedings failed.

- Vhahangwele Nemakonde

The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has begun its misconduct inquiry into Limpopo premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba over comments she made in 2022.

The inquiry follows a complaint by Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia and Lawyers for Human Rights, supported by several other organisations including the Treatment Action Campaign, Section27 and the Helen Suzman Foundation.

It follows a 2022 video of Ramathuba, then provincial health MMC, addressing a Zimbabwean patient at Bela Bela Hospital, explaining her country of origin should pay for a procedure.

In the video, Ramathuba told the patient they were burdening the South African health system. She said: "You speak Shona. Then how do you find yourself in Bela Bela when you are supposed to be with Mnangagwa [President of Zimbabwe]? You know he doesn't give money to me to operate you guys and I am operating on you with my limited budget.