Cuban med students send MEC packing

THE KZN MEC for Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, is returning to South Africa no closer to ending a stand-off with South African medical students studying in Cuba, who are said to have neglected their studies to preach the Gospel.

The angry MEC flew to Cuba on Tuesday to convince the students to prioritise their studies. Instead they had a showdown on Friday, with the defiant medical students telling him they cannot control when the Holy Spirit takes over.

One of the students, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke to the Sunday Tribune.

“The MEC was very angry, he told the students to (stop) preaching. He told us to focus on our studies because that is the reason we are in Cuba. He (encouraged) us to think of our future, but it didn’t help because the praying students are the majority and were not listening.

“The meeting turned into a debate. They told him that in the contracts they stated they were Christians, and the only thing that would save them from social pressures was God,” he said.

The Department of Health accused Sipho Maduna, a pastor from the Threshing Floor Bible Church, of “sneaking” into Cuba as a tourist to meet the students. The preacher was accused of keeping the students from their studies, baptising and anointing students, and annoying Cubans by preaching in the street.