The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal welcomes National Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s intervention, which includes the appointment of a task team, to tackle the ongoing invasion of hospital wards at RK Khan by monkeys.
Regrettably, RK Khan is not the only medical facility that is affected by these primates which are also causing problems at Durban’s Prince Mshiyeni Memorial and Wentworth hospitals. The DA will write to Minister Motsoaledi to request that any interventions are extended to both of these facilities.
The DA has also been reliably informed that the most recent video clip showing RK Khan – which has gone viral on social media – does not provide full details of what transpired that day. This after an alleged report of an incident where a patient was bitten by a monkey. The DA will submit a written parliamentary question to KZN Health MEC, Sibongiseni Dhlomo in order to verify whether this took place and what action was taken as a result.
While the DA welcomes Minster Motsoaledi’s attention when it comes to this invasion, he is doing us no big favour. The problems within KZN’s DoH are far bigger than ‘monkey business’ at a few hospitals. It is also bizarre that it should take the National Minister to deal with this scourge – a situation that stems from the fact that MEC Dhlomo simply ignores any serious matters when they are raised with him.
The people of KZN have suffered and continue to suffer under an uncaring and merciless ANC-led government, one which continues to keep a failed MEC at the helm of healthcare in our province.
The DA will today write to Minister Motsoaledi to urge him to seriously consider placing KZN’s Department of Health (DoH) under administration. If he does not put the people of our province first then they in turn must punish the ANC at the ballot box in May.