Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng said premier Panyaza Lesufi was dishonest about the National Health Insurance (NHI), after radio broadcaster Tom London’s viral videos exposing mistreatment, negligence and poor infrastructure at Helen Joseph Hospital.
London, real name Thomas Holmes, made headlines after exposing the non-functional medical equipment, poor infrastructure and negligence at the hospital on social media through a video that went viral.
In the video, while in the hospital ward, he bemoaned bad treatment from the doctors, whom he claimed treat patients like cockroaches.
London told IOL News that he developed a chest infection about five weeks ago and was using over-the-counter-medication.
His condition deteriorated and he was taken to the Helen Joseph hospital, but only to encounter the worst treatment ever from the doctors.
After spending 13 days at the hospital, he then decided to leave as within hours of the post going viral, hundreds of his fans contributed to a fund for his treatment at the Mediclinic Hospital in Morningside, a private hospital.
Meanwhile, DA member of the provincial legislature and shadow Health MEC Dennis Bloom said Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s lies about the NHI have been exposed by Tom London’s viral videos on poor treatment at the Helen Joseph Hospital.
In April this year, while on the campaign trail before the May 29 general elections, Lesufi made bold promises that if the ANC wins, anyone would be able to access the best private healthcare, whether at a clinic or hospital and then the government would sort the bill out.
On the video that went viral, Lesufi was heard saying: “Gone are the days when you don’t have medical aid, you must die. Gone are the days when you don’t have medical aid and you must be mistreated in our hospitals.”
He added: “Gone are those days that if you don’t have a medical aid that you are even scared to go to hospital.”
In his address, it was evident that Lesufi admitted that the services at the public health facilities were poor as he pointed out that patients were “mistreated in our hospitals”, similar to what London endured.
Lesufi was slammed by political parties and the public. During that time, the NHI had not yet been signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“The cruel reality of public healthcare has been exposed by London, who was transferred to a private hospital for better treatment after funds flooded in from donors,” Bloom said.
The DA leader said Lesufi had the opportunity to fix this department in a genuine government of provincial unity (GPU), but froze out the DA and ceded only 2% of Gauteng’s R165.8 billion to three ‘tiny parties’.
“He reappointed Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko as Health MEC, and installed Arnold Lesiba Malotana as head of the department despite a SIU investigation into an alleged R8 million bribe shared with two other officials,” Bloom said.
He said minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi also continued to push the NHI despite the rampant corruption and mismanagement of health in every province except DA-run Western Cape.
“The fact that South Africa’s richest province cannot run an efficient and caring public health service shows that NHI is a dangerous fantasy that will waste and steal a huge amount of money that taxpayers cannot afford,” Bloom said.
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