Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
10 December 2023 | 12:48 CAT

Image: Daily Investor

The Controversial National Health Insurance Bill has been passed on the National Council of Provinces, unaltered, bringing the proposed system closer to reality and sparking opposition groups.

While the ruling ANC is celebrating the NCOP’s decision to pass the NHI Bill, many organisations vowed to fight it with all their might.

Trade union Solidarity said it was ready to launch a full-on assault against the planned National Health Insurance (NHI).

Economic Researcher at the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), Theuns du Buisson, discussed the concerns raised by Solidarity and the potential impacts on South Africa’s healthcare system with Radio Islam International.

The NHI bill will lead to increased taxes, warned du Buisson.

“We have shown how the cost of the so-called free health care will be recovered from South Africans as additional taxes,” he said.

“We have shown how it will affect the prospects of health care workers and medical staff to such an extent that they will consider career moves or even emigration, du Buisson added.”

According to du Buisson, all the pleas have been made, and all the warnings have been issued about why the NHI will have disastrous consequences for all South Africans.

“And it has been cautioned that a health care system left in the hands of those who have wrecked Eskom, Transnet and SAA, will not only be the death knell of our economy, but will literally also cost human lives,” he said.

“Solidarity is determined to fight these plans to capture ownership of our health in court. Should President Ramaphosa add his signature to the NHI Act, our legal team is ready to start litigation immediately, Solidarity stated.

The Bill will now be referred to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who can either sign it into law or request lawmakers to amend it.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany.