Eastern Cape health MEC Sindiswa Gomba says the failure of R10m scooter project is linked to the design of the apartheid infrastructure.
The multimillion-rand project was initially to transport patients in rural areas to clinics and hospitals in a manner that would limit the spread of Covid-19.
Speaking in parliament this week, Gomba suggested apartheid was to blame for the scooter saga.
“The Covid-19 pandemic not only came unexpectedly but also presented itself in a new dynamic. It has also exposed the weaknesses of our health system, and that is linked to the design of apartheid infrastructure. Our people must be dragged in wheelbarrows to access health services.”
Gomba said while others believed that the scooter project was an example of wasteful expenditure, it showed the “inequalities in our society”.
“Some believe the scooter project was an example of wasteful expenditure, but it just shows the inequalities in our society.”
“I’m convinced that items for campaigning are becoming more limited as we address the fundamental needs of our citizens in our vision for access to health care for all, and the Eastern Cape was bold enough to implement these interventions,” she said.
However, Gomba has come under fire for “shifting the blame” to apartheid.
