Dr Phophi Ramathuba Makes Surprise Visit to Lebowakgomo Hospital in Viral Video

• Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba surprised Lebowakgomo, Limpopo residents when she appeared at the Lebowakgomo Hospital unannounced
• She lambasted the staff for poor delivery and bemoaned the condition of the hospital
• South Africans weighed in and discussed how hospital management contributes to the maladministration at hospitals

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests and immigration in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

LEBOWAKGOMO, LIMPOPO — Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba criticised Lebowakgomo Hospital staff members for their lack of service delivery during a surprise visit on 12 December 2024. She threatened one of them with dismissal for not doing their job.

Ramathuba leads EXCO visit

Ramathuba led a delegation which included the Limpopo Executive Council (EXCO) MECs during a District Development Model (DDM) Outreach Programme to the Lepelle Nkumpi Municipality. The delegation decided to drop in unannounced at the hospital. She did not like what she found.

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In a series of videos @Lesetja_Makhura posted on X, Ramathuba found that the hospital's waiting area was full of community members who were left unattended. She asked the community members what was wrong, and they collectively responded that the hospital staff said they had no files. One community member said hospital staff do not work.

Ramathuba slams workers

Ramathuba confronted the staff members, and in the next video, she lambasted them. She told them how the hospital was in a much better state when she worked as a doctor there. She

"Lebowakgomo was not like this. We came in, and it was a mess. We turned it around, and it became one of the best (hospitals). What makes you regress? It's because we didn't tell them that we were coming. This is how you treat them," she said.

Ramathuba is no stranger to public confrontations. The Health Professions Council of South Africa launched an inquiry into an incident that happened in 2022 when she was still the province's MEC.

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View the videos here:

What you need to know about Ramathuba's 2022 incident

• Ramathuba went viral after she berated a Zimbabwean patient at the Bela Bela Hospital
• The EFF accused her of being xenophobic and called for her resignation as MEC
• However, the Department of Health defended her statements and said she was not xenophobic

Julius Malema praises Ramathuba

In another article, Briefly News reported that the president of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema, sang Ramathuba's praises. The two attended a gala dinner hosted by Kgabo III in Moletjie, Polokwane, on 30 November 2024.

Malema said he was floored by how elegantly she spoke during the black-tie event's keynote address. South Africa was mildly surprised at his reaction.

Source: Briefly News