Limpopo MEC raised an important issue which is currently under debate – Ramaphosa

In what has been viewed as a defence of Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba, President Cyril Ramaphosa says the MEC raised an issue that is currently being debated on.

Responding to questions in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said while the matter could have been handled differently, the MEC did, however, raise an important issue.

“The MEC of health in Limpopo has raised an important issue; how service provision is affected by migration. That is an important issue that is top of mind in the minds of many South Africans and indeed, it is part and parcel of having to deal with the whole issue of a framework around migration,” said Ramaphosa.

“Not only on our continent but across the world as people move around, it is often asked if are we able to make provision for any service that may have to be offered to you in any shape or form. That is part of that whole process of having to deal with migration. So the MEC as I said, has raised an important issue which is currently under debate.”

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South Africans not xenophobic

Ramaphosa further defended South Africans and ANC leaders, saying sentiments that they were xenophobic were not true.

“We’ve always said that as South Africans, we are not xenophobic. We are a people who always welcomed those who came from various countries from around the world and also our own continent. In many ways, South Africa has been built with the participation, help of people from various nations and they have helped develop our country as well. So by any stretch of anyone’s imagination, we are not a xenophobic nation. Even the leadership of the party that I lead are not xenophobic,” said Ramaphosa.

“Yes, there are challenges that are global when it comes to issues of migration and our people also respond to the various challenges that they experience on a daily basis. For instance when it comes to service delivery, our people feel strongly that yes, preference should be given to South Africans and they are right in many ways to feel like that.”

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However, whatever is done should be done within the confines of the law, said Ramaphosa.

“As we integrate our continent, we recognise that there will be movement of people, but we are saying it has to be done within a particular legal framework. That is where we stand and we believe it is a correct stance that any country can take. We need to have a balance and the balance has to be: we cannot do many of these things at the expense of the interests of our own people. At the same time, we’ve got to recognise that those who come to our country, who come legally, in compliance of our labour policies, who come in compliance with our migration policies also do have the right to come through here as they comply with our laws, like South Africans who do go to various parts of our continent. That balance has to be and our first price is to look after our own people and ensure their rights are not trampled or ignored.”