Ramaphosa criticised for walk alongside Mahlangu
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has defended his widely criticised walk with former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu on Saturday.
“Qedani Mahlangu‚ like any other South African‚ is a person who must be treated as a citizen of this country. She is a comrade and whatever we have done‚ it does not mean we have to treat people with hatred and rejection and with total disdain‚” Ramaphosa said.
Gauteng Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow health MEC Jack Bloom expressed shock at Ramaphosa’s walk besides Mahlangu during his trip from Regina Mundi church in Rockville‚ Soweto‚ to Mangalane garage in Chiawelo.
Under Mahlangu’s watch at least 144 Life Esidimeni patients died. She later resigned as MEC.
Ramaphosa hugged Mahlangu warmly and said she should not be rejected as she had been held accountable‚ first by resigning and then appearing before the arbitration hearings headed by former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke.
In Bloom’s view‚ Ramaphosa’s embrace of Mahlangu is grossly insensitive to the memory of those who died.
“She has still not accepted full accountability for the Esidimeni deaths‚ shifting the blame onto officials.
“Despite all the Esidimeni horrors‚ the ANC still treats her as a comrade and she remains a member of the ANC’s Gauteng provincial executive committee. After all this time‚ the ANC’s Integrity Committee has not made a finding against her in this matter‚” Bloom said.
He added that true justice will only be served when Mahlangu appears in court on charges that should include culpable homicide and even murder. — SOUTH Africa has made considerable progress against HIV/Aids‚ with a marked decline in the number of new infections since 2009.
However‚ an intensified campaign is needed to sustain the gains‚ the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) said.
Research from the institute showed that the total number of new HIV infections declined countrywide by 39% – from 437 705 to 266 931 – between 2009 and 2016.
IRR analyst Tawanda Makombo said the high rate of new HIV infections – a daunting feature of Thabo Mbeki’s presidency – declined under his successor‚ Jacob Zuma.
He said this was largely as a result of improved HIV/Aids awareness and campaigning strategies in schools‚ hospitals and communities.
The IRR said KwaZulu-Natal‚ which had the highest rate of new HIV infections in 2009 (121 308)‚ achieved a drastic reduction of almost 50% to 62 117 in 2016. It said Gauteng’s rate of new infections fell by 27.6% – from 102 074 in 2009 to 73 951 in 2016 – but it had the highest number of new infections of all nine provinces.
The Northern Cape showed the biggest improvement between 2009 and 2016‚ with a 57.6% drop in new HIV infections‚ from 5 557 to 2 356.
Makombo said there was still room for improvement.
“The national department of health must intensify HIV/Aids awareness among all South Africans in order to reduce the risk of infection in those at highest risk‚ especially young people.” — THREE families are in mourning after the 2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour.
Race organisers yesterday advised that one of its Rotary marshalls passed away in hospital late Sunday afternoon.
One cyclist succumbed to his wounds at the scene of a pile-up with other cyclists at the base of Wynberg Hill‚ while another is suspected to have experienced a heart attack going up the hill at Smitswinkel Bay.
The marshall was stationed on an S-bend after the Llundudno turnoff.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are unclear and we are currently investigating the incident in conjunction with the South African Police Services‚” race organisers said in a statement.
Race director David Bellairs extended his condolences to the families.
“Our Rotary marshalls have always been integral to the successful running of the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Most of them work alongside us year after year in a voluntary capacity. They are part of the Cycle Tour family‚ as are our riders‚ and we are deeply saddened by this news.
“I want to assure everyone that all measures are taken to ensure participants’ and marshalls’ safety on the route. In my 28 years working on the Cycle Tour‚ there have been only two trauma-related deaths on the day of Cycle Tour. Our hearts and prayers are with the families at this very sad time.” —