(Picture Credit Limpopo Premier’s Office)
By Montsho Matlala
Glen Cowie, Sekhukhune — The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) in Limpopo has strongly criticised National Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi for publicly removing St Ritas Hospital’s CEO and top management last Tuesday, accusing them of poor performance — and broadcasting the incident live on the Limpopo Premier’s Office Facebook page.
“We condemn Minister Motsoaledi’s style of dealing with employees’ issues in this publicity-seeking, soap-opera-acting manner,” said NEHAWU provincial secretary Moses Maubane on Monday. “We are running government, not personal institutions.”
Maubane added: “The Minister knows the Labour Relations Act and the procedures that must be followed. If your subordinate errs, you don’t do a Facebook show-off as a minister — you follow the rules.”
Motsoaledi, backed by Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba and Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego, caught staff by surprise at St Ritas Hospital in the Sekhukhune district last Tuesday when they arrived with a video crew to capture their actions.
The trio quickly summoned CEO Mokgano Mahloele, the clinical manager, and the senior nursing service manager, leading them into wards and key sections such as X-ray, admonishing them on camera for alleged mismanagement.
Motsoaledi announced that the CEO, senior nursing service manager, and clinical manager would be “put somewhere” because the hospital was dirty and some staff, including nurses, were neither in uniform nor wearing name tags.
Maubane responded: “We are not sure whether the minister and his team — consisting of Ramathuba and Mashego — are correct about their version of the institution’s state. If they are indeed correct, why the Facebook show?
“We also have concerns about the hospital not running well, but this show-off is suspicious — especially because the minister arrived with people ready to immediately fill the three top management positions he removed on the spot.”
Timeless News understands Mahloele has since been deployed to the Sekhukhune Health Services district offices in Lebowakgomo.
However, the National Health Department had not responded to our enquiries by the time of going to print, despite acknowledging receipt.
“Motsoaledi and Ramathuba are in this together because of the coming ANC elective provincial conference,” a source claimed.
“Remember, Ramathuba is the premier in the Limpopo provincial government, but in the ruling party’s top provincial seat, Stan Mathabatha is still in place. This lady wants to sit on that chair to strengthen her position in government as well as inside the ANC.”
Ramathuba is yet to comment on the alleged political motivation behind the actions at St Ritas Hospital last week.
Attempts to reach Mahloele were unsuccessful, as his phone rang unanswered on both Sunday and Monday.
