ST LUCY'S HOSPITAL: the Struggle continues.

TSOLO: The protest action at ST LUCY'S HOSPITAL at Tsolo in the Eastern Cape continues.

The community of ST CUTHBERT'S gave the support to the fire brand traditional leader Nkosi Khabilanga Mbabama, who is completely against the closure of St Lucy's which is allocated at the area.

The angry protesters blocked the entrance at St Lucy's, they stoped the removal process of the equipment transported to the newly build Dr Malizo Mpehle Hospital about 15 km from St Lucy's.

According to Nkosi Mbabama '' the hospital management transporting the hospital equipment to Dr Mpehle Hospital using their own vehicles, which is an ellegal move on state owned resources''
Mbabama continued that ''we are going to fight for the survival of this hospital, we are fighting for what belongs to us. This hospital belong to kwisizwe sama Mpondomise and nothing will change'' said Mbabama.

The community secretary Bukiwe Sicholo, highlighted that the patients at St Lucy's had, had removed to Dr Malizo Mpehle hospital without the consultation and the views of the community.

At St Lucy's the Martenity and Theatre departments are closed and they sent to operate at Dr Malizo Mpehle.

''The hospital board at St Lucy's undermine the traditional leaders. The MEC of Health Phumulo Masualle also shows no respect to us as the traditional leaders in our nation''

''His (MEC) statement about opening the new hospital, without the co-operation, consaltation and blessing with the traditional leaders shows such disrespect'' said Mbabama.

Esisisizwe sama Mpondomise nayiphina into eyenzekayo kufuneka iiNkosi zaziswe ngendlela efanelekileyo kwisizwe sazo. Conclude Mbabama.

On sunday afternoon, at Nkosi Mbabama place, community got a visit from the officials from the department of health that include Mr Bezana - district, Mr Xhamlashe Mthatha complex and Mr Mthuzula - province to discuss about this matter.

This move by the hospital and the department came as the contradiction after the statement made by MEC Phumulo Masualle last week, as he promised that the St Lucy's Hospital will function in full course.
Olwethu Z. Mhaga.
 


ST LUCY'S HOSPITAL

MTHATHA: The community of ST Cuthbert's at Tsolo since the morning today gathered at the hospital gates (ST LUCY'S), where they were against the alleged closure of the ST LUCY'S hospital. While community gathered outside, inside the hospital some of the leaders that include the community leader uNkosi Bambelela Mbabama held a meeting with the hostipal management to discuss about this matter. ''As community of ST Cuthbert's we oppossed any proposal that promotes the closure of this hospital (ST LUCY'S)'' said Mbabama. The alligations about the closure came the underspotlight since there is a newly build hospital at Tsolo Town.
Mbabama also outlined that ''This hospital was build by our great and grand parents to provide health to our rural communities''. Mbabama indicated that they wrote a letter adressed to the provincial MEC about this matter, but they received no responce yet, but are still waiting for the province to respond.
The community was very angry from these allegations. The tensions between the Eastern Cape Department of Health and the ST Cuthbert's community were resolved by the arrival of the officials from the provincial health department at the Imbizo held at Mbabama's place in the afternoon, they include Mrs Macingwane chief director, Mrs Nyikane director (provincial), District manager Mr Bezane and Mr Buhlungu from the district. According to the chief director Mrs Macingwane the hospital will function in full course. She stated that the newly build hospital already employed 114 employers indicated that the employees, are not going to be removed from the ST Lucy's as the community feared. Macingwane said the new Tsolo hospital which is 28 Km from ST Lucy's supposed to be open in June but the delays caused by the lack of the equipment which waited for. The community task team which will be responsible to observe the promices from the department was formed. Macingwane concluded by promising the angry community that they will receive the responce on their letters soon. Olwethu Z. Mhaga.