The National Council of Provinces (NCOP)’s flagship programme of Taking Parliament to the People provides an important platform for public accountability by government, through face-to-face interactions between elected leaders and the citizens.
During this programme, the NCOP moves its activities from the parliamentary premises in Cape Town to conduct its business publicly in a township or village, with the participation of citizens who would not have the opportunity or means to travel to Parliament to see the House in action.
Through this annual programme, the NCOP is spending a week with the people of Botshabelo and surrounding areas in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in Free State to deliberate on various service delivery matters, with a special focus on health and social development.
On the second day of the week-long sitting of the NCOP at the Kaizer Sebothelo Stadium, the Free State Minister of Health, Mr Butana Komphela, and Social Development, Ms Limakatso Mahasa, joined NCOP delegates, members of Provincial Legislature and the councillors of Mangaung to listen to comments and questions from the public about the delivery of the various services in the district.
Most residents complained about long queues and operating hours as well as the attitude of nurses. Ms Ntswaki Maposa said some clinic nurses were very rude to the patients, and asked the minister and MEC to intervene. “They don’t have a proper way of addressing patients, even the elderly and the disabled who go to the clinic to seek help,” she said.
Other community members alleged that they were turned away in hospitals when they did not have the “R40 consultation fee”. Some spent the whole day queuing at a hospital, but went home without any medication because their “files were missing”. Mr Komphela said the department was working on a plan to do away with manual filing to prevent challenges of missing files and protect the privacy of patients.
Both the national Health Minister Mr Aaron Motsoaledi and MEC Mr Komphela condemned the R40 charged for a consultation fee, saying no one should be denied access to health because they did not have money. “If you are unemployed, you are not supposed to pay even a cent in a public hospital”, said Minister Motsoaledi.
He also said his department was aware of the problem of long queues and longer waiting times in some of clinics. “But it is not a government problem alone, the public is also contributing. In 2004, South Africa had about 400 000 patients who were receiving HIV treatment, today we have over 3,8 million plus other chronic medication patients. The diseases have increased and we have more people visiting our clinics,” he said.
The Minister said one of the interventions by the department to prevent long queues was the introduction a chronic medication programme where patients register their names and addresses and have their medication delivered to their nearest delivery point, saving time and sometimes money for traveling to the clinic and waiting in long queues all day.
“Our new approach is focusing on primary healthcare – prevention of disease, which is not only a government responsibility. The body is yours not government’s. Don’t sleep around without a condom, don’t eat junk. Help us prevent HIV/Aids, help us prevent diabetes, help us prevent obesity. South Africans are the biggest consumer of sugar in the world. Promotion of health: exercise, take care of yourself and eat healthy,” Mr Motsoaledi urged.
Mr Lehlohonolo Chabeli complained about the struggle of disabled people in finding employment in both government and the private sector. “People with disabilities cannot get jobs. Employers avoid us because they think we will be a burden to them. Government please intervene,” he urged.
National Minister of Social Development Ms Bathabile Dlamini, who donated wheelchairs to five members of the community living with disabilities, responded to complaints that some government institutions did not consider people with disabilities for employment, even with the required qualifications.
“It is a disgrace to hear that people with disabilities are overlooked for employment. Even when they have the qualifications, it is possible to work with disabled. All government departments are required to employ two percent of people with disabilities in their staff. We have MPs and ministers living with disabilities. Let us support our fellow citizens with disabilities and give them the necessary resources to make their lives easier,” said Ms Dlamini.
She also responded harshly to comments made earlier by a member of the public linking rape to women dressing “inappropriately”. “
Let’s not justify the abuse of children and women. Fathers must always be protectors of families. Most rape cases that go unreported happen at home: best friend, stepfather, father, uncle and neighbour, even small kids under one year are raped. It is a mistake that women must wear clothes in a certain way. No one has a right to rape a woman who walks alone at night or wears a mini skirt,” she said.
Sakhile Mokoena
23 August 2017
Arrange a tour