TAC calls for debate in legislature on Brian Hlongwa

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has called on Gauteng provincial legislature Speaker Ntombi Mekgwe to schedule a debate on the ANC chief whip, Brian Hlongwa, who is facing allegations of corruption regarding kickbacks allegedly paid by companies that did business with the provincial health department during his tenure as health MEC.

The TAC took to the streets today demanding that the ANC remove former health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and Hlongwa, who were both elected into the Gauteng ANC provincial executive committee despite serious allegations handing over their heads.

Mahlangu, who resigned as an ANC MPL and MEC for health is accused of failing to account for the deaths of 144 mental patients from Life Esidimeni facilities. This after the patients died in the hands of unqualified and ill-equipped non-governmental organisations to which they were illegally transferred by the provincial health department.

The TAC further demanded that Hlongwa must account for R1.2 billion allegedly fraudulently spent to build a mansion for him in Bryanston, north of Johannesburg. The fraud was uncovered by the Special Investigation Unit which found that companies doing business with the health department allegedly paid kickbacks to Hlongwa and some department officials.

Hlongwa had repeatedly denied any wrongdoing but that did not stop the opposition parties and civil society from pursuing the matter. The ANC blamed the delay on Hlongwa’s matter on the party’s Integrity Committee which had been dealing with the issue for four years without any progress.

The organisation handed over a memorandum to Mekgwe demanding an urgent turnaround to the collapsed health system in Gauteng. They asked Mekgwe to schedule a debate on the Hlongwa issue in the provincial legislature.

The Economic Freedom Fighters in Gauteng last year laid murder charges against Mahlangu for the Esidimeni deaths. The party said it had also written to the NPA asking it to speed up its prosecution on the matter.

The EFF, DA and the Freedom Front Plus joined the marchers in front of the legislature today. The parties, which were warmly welcomed by the marchers and allowed to address the crowd, explained how they had been fighting the ANC in the legislature to act against Mahlangu and Hlongwa and to improve the Gauteng health system.

The EFF’s provincial chairperson Mandisa Mashego told The Citizen that the party has asked the National Prosecuting Authority to speed up the prosecution of Mahlangu for the death of 144 Life Esidimeni mental patients. She said they would approach the Hawks both in the province and nationally to investigate several incidents of corruption the party had found in Gauteng.

Freedom Front Plus MPL, Philip Van Staden said his party won’t rest until Mahlangu and Hlongwa were put behind bars. DA health spokesperson and MPL, Jack Bloom said the fact that it took 18 month before the ANC referred the Mahlangu matter to the party’s Integrity committee was indicative of a lack of care.

“The issue of Brian Hlongwa has been before the ANC Integrity Committee for four years without any progress, they have been protecting him for so long, they don’t want to take action against their own cadres. The Premier should have removed Mahlangu when it was initially reported that 36 Life Esidimeni patients died,” Bloom said.

Gauteng TAC provincial chairperson, Fikile Mtsweni, who read the memorandum, said people always waited for hours and even days to access health services while healthcare workers were overstretched.

“Hospitals are in shambles, patients are found sleeping on the corridor floors and ambulances are scarce and unreliable. The dysfunction in Gauteng is claiming lives and leading to widespread suffering. We have had enough of these daily indignities, former health MEC Brian Hlongwa and Qedani Mahlangu must be held accountable for their failings,” Mtsweni said.

The organisation said that Hlongwa and Mahlangu were elected into leadership positions in the Gauteng ANC was indicative that the ANC did not care about the plight of the people who suffered under these politicians. It demanded an urgent turn-around of the collapsed health system in the province

TAC national chairperson, Sibongile Tshabalala, also said health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi must step down for failing to raise the failure of the two MECs during ANC lekgotlas.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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