Maimane slammed by ANC for ‘cheap’ electioneering

The ANC in Gauteng has attacked DA leader Mmusi Maimane for starting “cheap” and “reckless” pre-2019 electioneering with his call for Gauteng Premier David Makhura to resign or face a no-confidence motion from the DA over the Life Esidimeni tragedy.

But political analysts say the DA is just politicking.

Analyst Steven Friedman said it was not fair to ask a leader to resign instead of the minister or MEC concerned. “If there is a scandal in a [department], the minister resigns, not the head of government.”

At the same time, the analyst said when parties accused each other of electioneering, they should not be taken seriously. “The claim is true, but that is what parties do,” Friedman said.

Another analyst, Ralph Mathekga, said although the Gauteng provincial government brought this upon themselves as they have been warned many times about Esidimeni, the DA was politicking.

Maimane on Wednesday said that Makhura must resign following the incident in which 144 psychiatric patients died in the hands of ill-equipped and illegal nongovernmental organisations at different centres in Gauteng.

The patients were allegedly neglected and their health conditions deteriorated after they were transferred to the centres by the Gauteng department of health.

Makhura, both at the arbitration process chaired by retired deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke and in his recent state of the province address, took full responsibility and accountability for the deaths as head of the provincial government.

He said the buck stopped with him and recently set aside a budget towards the compensation for the victims’ families.

Unveiling a plague in honour of the victims at Talisman Foundation in Johannesburg on Human Rights Day, Maimane said former health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, former department head Dr Barney Selebano and ex-director of mental health Dr Makgabo Manamela must face the full might of the law for their roles in the tragedy.

In addition Maimane called for Makhura to do the honourable thing and resign, failing which, the DA would submit a no-confidence motion against him.

“This is the ANC in Gauteng’s opportunity to show that “full responsibility” means just that. Because the families of the Esidimeni victims deserve a lot better than empty platitudes from those who brought about this tragedy,” Maimane said.

DA Gauteng shadow MEC for health Jack Bloom, who probed and raised the alarm over the Esidimeni patients’ neglect and deaths in the early stages, said in true democracies, politicians always resigned over such incidents, including minor ones.

But Gauteng ANC provincial spokesperson Motalatale Modiba came out with guns blazing, accusing Maimane and the DA of reckless, irresponsible and opportunistic accusations against Makhura.

“His false accusation together with the call for a motion of no-confidence to be tabled against the premier is nothing but a cheap attempt to exploit the deep wounds and pain suffered by the affected families and patients following the Life Esidimeni tragedy,” Modiba said.

He said the families had welcomed the manner in which Makhura handled the issue and they accepted the award of about R1.2 million for each family, stipulated by Moseneke.

Makhura, together with health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa and finance MEC Barbara Creecy, were acknowledged by the judge for their cooperation and honesty in their testimonies to the arbitration process.

“Both the unfounded accusation by Maimane and the motion of no confidence have the 2019 elections written all over them and are not motivated by a concern to see that justice is served,” Modiba said.

The provincial government has speedily moved to implement health ombud Malegapuru Makgoba’s recommendations on the matter.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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