The Congress of the People in the Eastern Cape is shocked and angered by the  inconsiderate move to close the St Lcy's hospital in Ngcolosi village in the small town of Tsolo in the former Transkei.

Health MEC Pumulo Masuale assured the people of Ngcolosi that the opening of the new Dr Malizo Mpehle hospital which is in town will not lead to the closure of the over 100 year old St Lucy's hospital. It is now shocking to learn that Government Officials are currently relocating equipment from St Lucy's hospital to the new Dr Malizo Mpehle hospital planned to be officially opened on Thursday 19 November 2009.

Equipment in a number of wards including Maternity, X-ray and Main Ward have already been taken away from St Lucy's hospital to the new hospital. 

The MEC and his officials continue to lie and mislead the community about their commitment to the non-closure of the hospital. It is worth noting that more than R200m has been budgeted for the new Dr Malizo Mpehle hospital and threfore it is supposed to have new equipment.

On Sunday 15 November 2009 departmental senior staff including Chief Director Mr Malibongwe Mthuzula from Bhisho and Mr Bezana the District manager met the community and the traditional leaders of the 42 villages that are serviced by  Lucy's Hospital to assure them that the hospital will not be closed. A few minutes after they left government vehicles arrived to dismantle equipment including the machinery that was donated to the hospital by the Japanese Government.

This repugnant act by the ANC led government  smacks of a party which is myopic and indelicate. The fact that the ANC led government ruins a rural hospital serving 42 villages far away from the town is indicative of a party that only pays lip service to rural development.

The Congress of the People calls on the ANC to respect the people of Tsolo Ngcolosi and the surrounding areas. "Under these defficult economic conditions that we are in, it is unacceptable that a public resource serving our people will be taken away and thereby forcing our people to travel to town for what is rightfully theirs, a right to health service."

Where is the better life for all that the ANC always talks about? Or is it just a catchy slogan that is rolled out in election times?

COPE is prepared to fight tooth and nail in defence of the rights of all the people of this country urban or rural. We will also carefully scrutinise the final costs of the new hospital to ensure that no corners were cut, or pockets lined, which would ultimately lead to an unfortunate compromise of this nature.