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The DA in Gauteng is demanding that Premier Panyaza Lesufi fire Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and Head of Department Lesiba Malotana following the scathing judgement of the Gauteng High Court that the failure to provide radiation treatment to cancer patients is unlawful and unconstitutional.

This case was brought by Cancer Alliance and Section27 after they were rebuffed by the Department concerning the urgent need to provide this treatment.

According to Acting Judge Stephen van Nieuwenhuizen, there “is a clear, imminent and ongoing irreparable harm that cancer patients who are on the backlog list are suffering.”

His interim order gives 45 days to the Health MEC, the Head of Department (HOD), and the CEOs of the Charlotte Maxeke and Steve Biko hospitals, to update the backlog list of cancer patients awaiting radiation oncology services.

This is a stunning rebuke of the Department for a scandal that I estimate has cost more lives than the Life Esidimeni tragedy where 144 mental health patients died after being sent to unsuitable NGOs.

There are more than 2000 patients on the cancer backlog list, but hundreds of them will no longer benefit as radiation treatment has to be done within 90 days. Others have already died because of the years of delay in spending the R784 million budget, of which R250 million was returned unspent to Treasury.

It is one more reason to fire an incompetent MEC and HOD who preside over continuing failures that harm patients in our public hospitals.

The ANC should stop protecting MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko as they did when blocking my motion of censure in the Gauteng Legislature for her failure to work with cancer interest groups to ensure speedy treatment to save the lives of cancer patients.

Premier Lesufi, you should ACT NOW and put in competent people to save the public health system in Gauteng!

Issued by Jack Bloom MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health