Gubenxa villagers yesterday went to Bhisho to demand that health MEC Phumza Dyantyi build them a clinic.
The villagers from Ngcobo complained about poor service delivery, saying not only do they have no clinic, but there is also no police station in the area.
To access primary healthcare they have to travel more than 200km to and from the nearest clinic in Ngcobo or Khowa .
Ward 20 councillor Cebisile Hlazo, who also travelled with the group, said he had been calling for the clinic to be built for a while now.
“This clinic has been mentioned in many IDPs but nothing ever happens.
“These residents have been calling me to do something about their problems and I had to make this trip to see if we can meet with the MEC to address this,” said Hlazo.
Community leader Mveleli Lengisi said way back in 2003 then health MEC Bevan Goqwana had visited the area and promised them a clinic.
“There was even a sod turning and everyone was happy that something was finally going to happen.
“But 15 years later we are still waiting, and we have to travel a great distance to get help.
“A number of people have died as for lack of accessible health services,” said Lengisi.
The villagers left Gubenxa at 1am and arrived in Bhisho at 7.10am.
“We wanted to make sure we were here in time to meet with the MEC but we could not find her. If we are not attended to we will have to sleep here until she arrives,” said Mbuyiselo Madini, one of the 23 people who travelled to Bhisho.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said Dyantyi was willing to meet with the people but she had not been made aware that they were coming.
“They should have made an appointment.
“The MEC is not always in the office as she travels across the province,” said Kupelo.
He said the delegation was met by a senior official who attended to them.
“The building of clinics is a priority for the department. The chief director for district health services addressed them and a promise was made to the residents that their complaint will be attended to,” he said.
Kupelo said the department has built more than 1000 clinics since 1994 and they were also eradicating mud structures and improving the current ones.
“Where there’s no clinic for our people we send mobile clinics or work with the community where health posts are identified and our nurses visit the area periodically.”
The traditional leader and sub-headman for the area, Makade Jada, said they would wait for Dyantyi’s visit.
“We are constantly losing people because we have no health facilities,” said Jada.
Lengisi said the MEC had promised to meet with them in person on Friday in Ngcobo.
A 200 km journey for healthcare
The villagers from Ngcobo complained about poor service delivery, saying not only do they have no clinic, but there is also no police station in the area.
To access primary healthcare they have to travel more than 200km to and from the nearest clinic in Ngcobo or Khowa .
Ward 20 councillor Cebisile Hlazo, who also travelled with the group, said he had been calling for the clinic to be built for a while now.
“This clinic has been mentioned in many IDPs but nothing ever happens.
“These residents have been calling me to do something about their problems and I had to make this trip to see if we can meet with the MEC to address this,” said Hlazo.
Community leader Mveleli Lengisi said way back in 2003 then health MEC Bevan Goqwana had visited the area and promised them a clinic.
“There was even a sod turning and everyone was happy that something was finally going to happen.
“But 15 years later we are still waiting, and we have to travel a great distance to get help.
“A number of people have died as for lack of accessible health services,” said Lengisi.
The villagers left Gubenxa at 1am and arrived in Bhisho at 7.10am.
“We wanted to make sure we were here in time to meet with the MEC but we could not find her. If we are not attended to we will have to sleep here until she arrives,” said Mbuyiselo Madini, one of the 23 people who travelled to Bhisho.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said Dyantyi was willing to meet with the people but she had not been made aware that they were coming.
“They should have made an appointment.
“The MEC is not always in the office as she travels across the province,” said Kupelo.
He said the delegation was met by a senior official who attended to them.
“The building of clinics is a priority for the department. The chief director for district health services addressed them and a promise was made to the residents that their complaint will be attended to,” he said.
Kupelo said the department has built more than 1000 clinics since 1994 and they were also eradicating mud structures and improving the current ones.
“Where there’s no clinic for our people we send mobile clinics or work with the community where health posts are identified and our nurses visit the area periodically.”
The traditional leader and sub-headman for the area, Makade Jada, said they would wait for Dyantyi’s visit.
“We are constantly losing people because we have no health facilities,” said Jada.
Lengisi said the MEC had promised to meet with them in person on Friday in Ngcobo.
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