Gauteng health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko faces an intense backlash after she dismissed claims about a hospital overcrowding crisis.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, she suggested some patients “prefer sleeping on the floor”.
The MEC claimed she had personally encountered the phenomenon, specifically among pregnant women.
“Did you know that when you are sick, you want to [lie] down? [Especially] when you are pregnant and ready to deliver and in pain, [you] go down and sleep on the floor. The patients will say, ‘Leave me, I want to sleep on the floor,’” she said.
Nkomo-Ralehoko argued that media portrayals of the province’s healthcare facilities are often misleading.
“To you, it’s people sleeping on the floor because you come and steal that with your camera,” she said.
“There was an old lady who was crawling. Did you know the old lady had been given a wheelchair, but she didn’t want it? She was in pain, but she said she didn’t want to sit. [The reason she was crawling] was not because there was no wheelchair available.”
Her comments have sparked a wave of outrage on social media. Critics have labelled her statements as “cruel” and “out of touch”, with many calling for her immediate removal from office.
Addressing the state of the province’s facilities, the MEC said the department is conducting renovations. She claimed out of 37 hospitals in Gauteng, fewer than 10 require major refurbishments. While asserting she is working to improve hospital conditions, Nkomo-Ralehoko maintained her department requires significant additional funding to meet its goals.
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.