WATCH: Limpopo Health MEC sticks to her guns over ‘xenophobic’ comments to Zim patient

Durban – Limpopo MEC for Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, is sticking to her guns after facing backlash for comments made towards a Zimbabwean patient undergoing treatment in a local hospital.
Speaking to the SABC, Ramathuba said it was her responsibility to ensure that the people in her province lived a long and healthy life.
Ramathuba added that those who government said were beneficiaries of a rural healthcare project relied on government healthcare facilities.
She said illegal foreign nationals had the option of seeking healthcare in their home countries. She said when illegal nationals “hijack” SA healthcare services, they rob a local of an opportunity.
Ramathuba created a stir on social media after she called on a hospital to charge a foreign national for treatment.
In the clip posted on Twitter, Ramathuba said it was only in South Africa where people come into the country and expect treatment. She was reportedly addressing a Zimbabwean patient at a government hospital.
While her comments have been applauded on social media, others are calling for her to step down or be fired.