…says his government in ICU 

Mohloai Mpesi 

PRIME Minister Sam Matekane’s government is in the intensive care unit (ICU).   

It resembles an ailing patient and it has no ability to resolve pressing social problems facing Basotho, an opposition politician has claimed. 

United Africans Transformation (UAT) leader Dr Mahali Phamotse fired the broadside at the government in parliament on Friday. 

She spoke after health workers in the three districts of Thaba-Tseka, Mokhotlong and Qacha’s Nek downed tools over what they described as inadequate hardship or mountain allowances. 

Dr Phamotse spoke after Democratic Congress (DC) Qacha’s Nek constituency legislator, Mohlahlobi Busa, had filed an urgent question seeking answers from government, on the suspension of health services at Qacha’s Nek, Thaba-Tseka and Mokhotlong district hospitals.  

Health workers in the three districts reportedly downed tools on Monday the 13th of May 2024, demanding an increase in the “hardship allowances” paid to health workers in remote areas. 

The hardship allowances are currently set at M250 each. They want them increased to M1000 as “promised” by Minister of Health, Selibe Mochoboroane, over a year ago.     

Mr Busa had stated that the situation in the three districts was desperate because of the strike. He painted a grim picture of pregnant women about to deliver, being turned away at clinics because of the strike. 

He said the suspension of health services affected patients with chronic diseases as they needed to be monitored regularly. 

“Anything that jeopardises citizens’ lives needs immediate intervention. It has been over a week now without health services being rendered in these districts,” Mr Busa said. 

“We already have a problem of accessing hospitals in those districts as they are far away. People must walk long distances to access district hospitals. The situation is worse when there are no services at all.  

“People suffer from different diseases and some of them need monitoring by doctors, such as those with TB, HIV and diabetes. 

 “Yes, even pregnant women who are ready to deliver are not getting services. Their lives are in danger. I urge the house to compel the government to quickly address this issue.” 

Dr Phamotse then waded in with her blistering attack on the government and Mr Matekane personally whom she characterised as a “clueless” and “weak” leader.   

She said that for the suspension of health services in the three districts to have continued for days without action from the government confirmed that Mr Matekane was a “weak” leader. 

“It teaches one about what happens when issues requiring strong leadership are not handled well,” she said. 

She said Mr Matekane and his government resembled an ailing patient in the ICU.  His government needed to “drink water and take a dose of medication to function properly”.    

“They are struggling to govern. It (governance) is beating them mercilessly and unfortunately, that is affecting the nation adversely,” Dr Phamotse said. 

“The government right now is in ICU, breathing through pipes. Therefore, government should drink water and take medication to be able to breath properly. Only then can the nation live well.” 

Dr Phamotse said she could not comprehend how the government had failed to detect well on time, that health workers in the three districts planned to down tools. 

“They should have known that such a thing was going to happen. The country’s intelligence apparatus ought to have notified the government well on time of the planned strike. That way, it could have been averted,” Dr Phamotse said.   

“The truth is that things that happen in this country are evidence of poor leadership. If we don’t face the fact that someone (Matekane) doesn’t know how to rule, then we are doomed.” 

Dr Phamotse is MP for the Matlakeng  constituency which she won under the RFP banner in 2022.  

She later fell out with the RFP leadership, left the party and formed UAT. A fortnight ago she held her UAT’s rally in Matlakeng. 

Mr Matekane followed up with his own last Sunday, where he promised to install electricity and water in every village in the constituency.  He also promised to repair damaged roads in the area. 

Minister of Education and Training, Professor Ntoi Rapapa, who was in parliament on Friday, defended the government saying it was already working on resolving the health workers’ strike. 

“The ministries of health and public service have met together with other ministries to re-evaluate the mountain allowances given to the health workers deployed in the highlands and rural areas. The mountain allowance has been the same for about 20, maybe 30 years now,” Prof Rapapa said. 

“We accept that the allowance must be reviewed. We believe that by next week, this issue would be resolved……”