Premier Alan Winde announced his Western Cape Cabinet. From left to right: Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities; David Maynier, Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport; Anroux Marais, Minister of Community Safety; Albert Fritz, Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning; Anton Bredell, Minister of Transport and Public Works; Bonginkosi Madikizela, Premier Alan Winde, Minister of Agriculture; Ivan Meyer, Minister of Health; Nomafrench Mbombo, Minister of Education; Debbie Schäfer, Minister of Social Development; Sharna Fernandez, Minister of Human Settlements; Tertius Simmers. Picture: Courtney Africa/African News Agency(ANA)
Distressed and overworked health workers are on duty around the clock as the rate of Covid-19 infections in some provinces are expected to overtake that of the first wave in the next two weeks.
But Western Cape Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo is taking a long break and has taken to Facebook to boast about it.
On Wednesday, Mbombo posted a video on her Facebook page showing her singing and dancing, and saying: “I declare the 2020 Mbombo festive officially open…”
On it she revealed she would be going to Limpopo for the holidays.
“I will be a Venda girl soon,” she posted.
Mbombo said it was a “well-deserved, long overdue break”, but she did not forget those who were staying behind to fight the virus.
She posted: “Pity many healthcare workers and communities are not as lucky and privilege [sic]. Covid and poverty ixakile [it is out of control]. MHSRIP.”
A query sent to Mbombo on WhatsApp returned an automated message with Covid-19 information and contacts. The message ended with: “Stop the Spread, Mask Up. Keep your bubble small. It is in the Air.”
It also said: “NOTE, I AM SPORADIC ON RESPONSES OR NOT RESPONDING AT ALL DURING THIS TIME. Need to re energise.”
She later responded by confirming she was on leave, but said she checked the comments section of her Facebook post and could not find anyone making a negative comment about it.
The last time she went on leave was in December 2017, Mbombo said.
It is unclear how long she will be on leave or when was the last time she had a break.
Her spokesperson, Douglas Newman-Valentine, responded to questions simply by saying: “As you would know the minister, who is a healthcare worker herself, has been working around the clock as to ensure the ultimate functioning of the healthcare system.”
He did not want to say where Mbombo was going or give any other details.
“Your line of questioning is at a level that it might infringe on the safety and security of the minister,” Newman-Valentine said on the emailed response.
ANC MPL and spokesperson on health Rachel Windvogel said Mbombo’s actions were “in utter bad taste”, adding it was not right to “revel in frivolous festivities at a time of solemn, deep sorrow with large losses on a global and regional level”.
Windvogel said Mbombo was not fit “to be in charge of about a third of the provincial budget and a critical department that impacts significantly on the lives of residents”.
She added Premier Alan Winde should look into her move to “celebrate the holiday outrageously while her department is under severe strain with too little available [hospital] beds, too many healthcare professionals ill with Covid and the infection rate in her province at a record high”.
Windvogel said it was “beyond comprehension” that Winde was leaving Mbombo’s pitch uncovered “in such a dire time of crisis” when staff were working extra hours while the political head “condescendingly dances and prances callously around celebrating her holiday time off duty”.
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