Mkhize tells Parliament that government will proceed with NHI despite failed pilots and no precise costing done

4 July 2019

In today’s Portfolio Committee on Health, the Minister of Health, Dr. Zweli Mkhize confirmed that the National Health Insurance (NHI) will proceed, regardless of the fact that a report on the feasibility of the NHI pilot projects has never been made public.

When asked about the progress and outcomes of the NHI feasibility report, the Minister stated that he did “not care” about what the report says as government will proceed nonetheless. This begs the question why billions have been spent piloting projects if the findings will have no bearing on whether or how NHI will be implemented.

Furthermore, when asked about the costing that has been done for NHI since the former minister - Aaron Motsoaledi - confirmed that the R259 billion was simply a ‘thumb-suck’, Mkhize stated that the government simply did not care about the cost. NHI will proceed regardless of feasibility or cost of the legislation.

This attitude by Minister Mkhize indicates that the ANC government is prepared to proceed with the disastrous NHI despite the impact it will have on the economy and on the health system as a whole.

The road to universal healthcare is not limited to this problematic piece of legislation.  More concerningly is the establishment of yet another state-owned-enterprise which will open up the public purse to looting by the politically connected few.

The ANC government is determined to nationalise our healthcare which will be the final nail on the coffin of an ailing health system.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has long held that universal healthcare is possible, however NHI as proposed by the ANC government is expensive and simply not feasible. It has failed where it has been piloted.

The ANC forcing through the NHI will not go uncontested, the DA will fight this and propose a credible plan that will ensure that every South African has access to proper and quality public health-care.

Issued by Siviwe Gwarube, DA Shadow Minister of Health, 4 July 2019