Cancer patients have overwhelmingly rejected Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s apology last week for delays in providing lifesaving radiation treatment despite an available budget.
Premier Lesufi apologised while responding to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature about the 27 March ruling of the Gauteng High Court which found that the Gauteng Health Department’s failure to provide urgent cancer treatment was unlawful and unconstitutional.
The response on social media has been overwhelmingly negative. In a poll on X, 77% rejected his apology outright as lives were lost, 20% only if heads rolled, and a mere 3% accepted his apology.
On Facebook, the following was typical comment:
“We don’t accept his apology he must be fired we lost people we loved because of lack of treatment and care, apology is not enough.”
“No, if he had someone in his family with Cancer, he would understand.”
“Accountability is key, heads must roll.”
Thato Moncho has also written this open letter to Lesufi:
“Dear Panyaza,
I’m not going to call you Premier simply because of how you have disrespected me/us as a cancer patients and how you are all mouth but not actions.
Your apology is too late to cancer patients like me, whom I will never get to enjoy my life because I live in fear of another reoccurrence and that my daughter will never be able enjoy her mother because of your arrogant apology 🥹.
Your apology feels like you are rubbing salt to my/our wound.
I have had reoccurrences from 2021 to date because of your people in high offices failed to use the R784 million to patients like me.
Yes, this case was not supposed to end up in court if only work was done, NGOs would not be told by you that they lack an understanding of trust in the department.
I would not have had five(5) reoccurrences if only that so called department was doing its work😡.”
Ms Moncho has asked me to ensure that Lesufi sees her letter, so I am making it public, and I have also sent it to him by email. She says she wrote it because her heart was filled with anger and disappointment, and she wishes she can sit across the table from him and ask him what exactly he is apologising for.
According to the DA’s Cancer Scandal Monitor, it is now 54 days since the court ruling, but Lesufi has not removed Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and Head of Department Lesiba Malotana for their negligence in this matter.
The DA calls on Premier Lesufi to drop the Gauteng Health Department’s appeal against the court judgement, and to work with cancer interest groups to speedily cut the backlog of patients needing urgent radiation treatment.