Today, the Northern Cape Health MEC, Mr Maruping Lekwene, conducted an oversight visit to Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe hospital in Kimberley.
The visit comes after allegations surfaced of patients not being served meals at the hospital yesterday due to picketing of staff employed by the service provider. We can confirm that the strike has since been suspended.
The MEC engaged provincial and hospital top management for a detailed briefing on the matter. Following yesterday’s picketing, the hospital management intervened to ensure patients receive their meals on time – whilst the service provider contracted by Department is seized with the matter.
The MEC further urged hospital management to deal with all pressing matters impacting the delivery of healthcare services at the hospital, as it has a direct and negative bearing on patients’ health.
Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe hospital is a tertiary hospital and continues to render specialist and sub-specialist care to our people across the province.
Maruping Matthews Lekwene is a South African politician serving as the Northern Cape MEC for Health since June 2020.
He has been a Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature for the African National Congress (ANC) since June 2014. He was the Northern Cape MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism from May 2019 until June 2020.
Lekwene is also the regional chairperson of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the ANC’s deputy provincial secretary.
The Northern Cape Department of Health is the Department of the Government of the Northern Cape, responsible for providing public healthcare to the population of the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The political head of the Department is the MEC for Health; as of 2020, this is Maruping Lekwene.
