“Health minister Zweli Mkhize is said to have “lost his cool” with allegedly incompetent Eastern Cape health officials this week.”
“He visited the Nelson Mandela Bay district on Wednesday. The minister’s annoyance came, according to people who were there, after a presentation by Dr John Black, head of the infectious diseases and HIV unit at Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth.”
“Mkhize is said to have been upset by local government officials’ incompetence and lack of accountability in the Covid-19 outbreak in the province.
There have been 480 cases of Covid-19 in the province, an increase of 210 in a week, and six deaths.”
There have been 480 cases of Covid-19 in the province, an increase of 210 in a week, and six deaths.”
“Officials had presented the minister with Covid-19 statistics containing a death rate disproportionate to the reported confirmed infections, according to sources. Black’s presentation pointed out how ill-prepared for the pandemic the province was.”
“There was no protective gear for frontline staff at hospitals, no quarantine sites set up and a lack of sufficient testing.”
“You are creating crises here,” Mkhize is said to have told officials.
“He demanded details of what protective equipment had been ordered. Failing to get a satisfactory response, he instructed officials at the national department of health to ensure that equipment, paid for by the Solidarity Fund, be sent immediately.”
“Mkhize was said to be enraged by the lack of accountability and leadership in the district.”
“The acting director of health in the Nelson Mandela Bay area, Beverly Snyers, had someone acting on her behalf during the visit. Snyers was said to be on bereavement leave.”
“Mkhize wanted to know why the position had not been filled with a permanent appointment and heard excuses from health MEC Sindiswa Gomba.
Gomba was said to have blamed the head of department, Dr Thobile Mbengashe, for prolonged disciplinary procedures.”
Gomba was said to have blamed the head of department, Dr Thobile Mbengashe, for prolonged disciplinary procedures.”
“Gomba told Mkhize that staff in the department were “scared and paranoid” to take action. Mbengashe, in turn, had blamed Gomba for not signing off on submissions, the minister was told.”
“Tension between the pair was visible, said insiders at the meeting.”
“Gomba told the Sunday Times there was a misunderstanding and a difference of opinion between her and Mbengashe.”
“Mkhize insisted the acting post be filled immediately. Gomba is said to have told him she had to wait for ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule’s office to approve a name.”
“Mkhize instructed the deputy director general of health, Litha Matiwane, to stay and deal with the crisis. “Pack a bag … you are sleeping here,” Mkhize is said to have told Matiwane, who lives in East London.”
“There are different versions of how Mkhize read officials the riot act, but one insider said the minister “lost it” when he was told that in addition to human resource problems, the Eastern Cape department of health faced “human reluctance issues”.”
“In an interview with the Sunday Times, Gomba conceded this, saying staff were not acting efficiently because of “fear, anxiety and paranoia about not knowing about Covid-19”. With seniors in acting positions, she said, staff were not following instructions.”
“Gomba said the protective-gear crisis had been caused by staff who demanded full protective suits, even when dealing with patients who were not infected by Covid-19.”
“They want to wear everything, including overall covers. If that is the case, I don’t know if we can afford to go for a week,” she said.
“Mkhize’s concerns about Nelson Mandela Bay were not over a surge in the crisis but over the health department’s lack of preparedness, it was said.”
“Mkhize’s staff were told to arrange for three virus-testing vans from the fleet prepared by the National Health Laboratory Service to be sent to the Eastern Cape.”
A government official said: “Officials in the Eastern Cape are used to ministers coming in, throwing a fuss about the situation and leaving. What they were not prepared for is for Mkhize to give detailed instructions and waiting for them to execute them while he was there.”
“Gomba defended her department against allegations of incompetence.”
“The minister is helping us. He has done that in other provinces. When he does it in the Free State, it is not seen as incompetence. Why, when it is done in the Eastern Cape, is it seen as incompetence?”
