Mike Waters (politician)

Mike Waters MP
Shadow Minister of Health
Incumbent
Assumed office 2009
Leader	Helen Zille
Preceded by	Gareth Morgan
Member of Parliament for Kempton Park & Edenvale, Gauteng
Incumbent
Assumed office May 1999
Personal details
Born	30 June 1967 (1967-06-30) (age 44) Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
Nationality	South African
Political party	Democratic Alliance
Spouse(s)	Kobus Rossouw
Alma mater	Technikon Witwatersrand

Mike Waters (born 30 June 1967) is a South African politician, currently the Shadow Minister of Health,^[1] and a Member of Parliament for the opposition Democratic Alliance.^[2]

Early life

Mike Waters attended Bedfordview High School before attaining a diploma in Human Resources from Technikon Witwatersrand. He joined the Democratic Party in 1989, and became president of the DP National Youth in 1994.^[3]

Political career

Waters began his professional political career on the Kempton Park town council, winning a landmark by-election against the National Party in 1997. He was elected to Parliament in 1999, and subsequently was appointed DA spokesperson on Child Abuse. In 2004 he became Social Development spokesperson.^[3] He succeeded Gareth Morgan as shadow health minister in 2006 - a position he continues to hold.

Policy issues

AIDS policy

Waters has been a vocal critic of the ANC's health policies, particularly those of controversial former health minster Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.

He was suspended from the National Assembly by Speaker Baleka Mbete for five days after having submitted a written question to the minister concerning a rumour that Tshabalala-Msimang had been convicted of theft in Botswana in 1976 while working at a hospital, and whether or not she had disclosed this information to president Thabo Mbeki when she was first appointed to her portfolio. Mbete suspended him on the grounds that Waters' question contained "the use of offensive or unbecoming language", and that the question was supposed to have been submitted by a substantive motion of the house. Waters then challenged her over her ruling, at which point he was expelled. He was followed out by other DA members in protest.

Child abuse

As the DA's spokesperson on child abuse, Waters visited all 45 child protection units in South Africa during 2002. The following year he visited all 48 sexual offences units.^[3] He was vocally critical of the ruling ANC's decision to disband the amalgamated Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units in 2006.^[4]

National Health Insurance

Waters has publicly criticised the ANC's proposed national health insurance scheme. He has labeled the plan anti-poor and irresponsible:

“

As always, the poor will be hardest hit, because the NHI does nothing to address the crisis in public health care. That crisis has been caused by a shortage of nurses and doctors, inadequate facilities and resources, and weak management systems. The poor bear the brunt of it. The NHI is not pro-poor. In fact it is anti-poor. It is a sure-fire recipe for the destruction of public health care.[5]

”

References

1. ^ "DA shadow cabinet - full list of names". http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=129068&sn=Detail. 
2. ^ "National List MPs" (PDF). http://www.elections.org.za/NPEPWStaticReports/NationalList_MPs.pdf. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Mr Mike Waters". http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/Pages/profilefull.aspx?IndID=4069. 
4. ^ "DA slams closure of SAPS units". http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1926467,00.html. 
5. ^ "NHI will do nothing to improve dire state of hospitals - DA". http://www.saelections.co.za/articles/5412/nhi-will-do-nothing-to-improve-dire-state-of-hospitals-da. 

External links

• Waters' profile at Whoswhosa.co.za
• Profile at Old Parliament website

Offices held

Political offices
Preceded by Gareth Morgan	South African Shadow Minister of Health 2009–present	Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Waters, Mike
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	30 June 1967
Place of birth	Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
Date of death
Place of death