'We can't be xenophobic': Health MEC says illegal foreigners pay for services
This comes after videos and images of individuals and groups against illegal immigration turning away foreigners in clinics and hospitals, especially in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, have been circulating on social media in recent weeks.
Anti-illegal immigration groups, such as March and March and Operation Dudula, who have been at the forefront of mobilising citizens to block undocumented immigrants in healthcare institutions, have argued that South Africans should be put first.
The groups also say that illegal foreigners are a burden to taxpayers and that the immigrants should pay for the services they access, just like how any other person pays for health insurance when in a foreign country.
On Wednesday, 16 July, Nkomo-Ralehoko told TV news channel Newzroom Afrika that it is painful that people are being blocked from accessing healthcare services, and she does not agree with it.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said the constitution does not allow for illegal foreigners to be turned away when they are not well.
'I don't agree with it, and it's a painful story, but unfortunately, people feel that we're not supposed to do that, and my worry is if that person dies at the gate, I should stand there and clarify to the citizens. What will I say if a heavily pregnant woman was denied access to the institution and that child, including the woman, died?
'I have to explain to the citizens, it doesn't matter whether that person is a Malawian or Zimbabwean, when the person gets in there not well, that person must be treated. My head is the only one that is going to be on the block,' she said.
In August 2022 violence flared up outside the Kalafong Tertiary Provincial Hospital between anti-illegal immigrants group Operation Dudula members and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from Gauteng.
Operation Dudula members had been picketing outside the hospital and had been preventing immigrants from accessing health services, insisting they should be properly documented and should pay for the services.
Then Minister of Health Joe Phaahla said that they will consult with embassies to find out if they can foot the bill for immigrants from neighbouring countries who access health services from public hospitals in South Africa.
'We will consult with embassies to see if there is a need for refunding or there could be some compensation,' he said at the time.
During her interview with Newzroom Afrika on Wednesday, Nkomo-Ralehoko emphasised the importance of agreements between South Africa and other countries around how to deal with the pressure on the public healthcare system.
'Yes, we do have those agreements…some of those agreements, the countries are paying, but the individuals that come on their own accord in the hospitals, they do pay too. There's this notion that everybody who gets there who comes from foreign countries is not paying. It's not true, not everyone is not paying,' she explained.
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