KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has strongly condemned the actions of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party after its members allegedly disrupted a scheduled Isibhedlela Kubantu community outreach programme in Mandeni on Sunday.
The outreach initiative which offers critical on-site health services such as screenings, treatment initiation, chronic medication support and health education had drawn large numbers of residents seeking medical assistance. Many of those in attendance were elderly, chronically ill, or unable to easily reach health facilities.
However, the Department of Health says the programme was abruptly halted in the interests of public safety after a group of MK Party members stormed the venue, chanted political slogans and issued threats, creating a hostile atmosphere that forced vulnerable patients to leave without receiving care.
The incident adds to a growing pattern of disruptive behaviour associated with the MK Party, some of whose members were arrested during the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg last weekend for staging illegal protests that violated security protocols.
MEC Simelane said Sunday’s actions were not only “deeply irresponsible and anti-community,” but also amounted to a direct violation of people’s constitutional right to access healthcare.
“It is utterly unacceptable that a political organisation would deliberately sabotage a non-political, life-saving health programme simply to score political points,” she said.
“The Department was in Mandeni to serve the people, nothing more, nothing less. Instead, vulnerable residents were intimidated and prevented from receiving the healthcare they urgently needed.”
Simelane stressed that Isibhedlela Kubantu was created to reach communities facing transport challenges, long distances to clinics, and historical backlogs in healthcare access. Disrupting such services, she said, “undermines the health and wellbeing of the very people political parties claim to represent.”
The MEC confirmed that the Department is assessing the impact of the disruption and will reschedule the Mandeni programme once it is deemed safe. She said security measures will be reinforced to prevent similar incidents from interfering with future outreach efforts.
*Credible Source asked MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela for comment, but no response had been received at the time of publication.
