The DA’s interim leader John Steenhuisen has called on government to pull the plug on the National Health Insurance, saying it is a ‘dangerous’ policy move for South Africa.
Steenhuisen issued a media statement following the party’s two-day Federal Council meeting held at Nkululeko House, east of Johannesburg, ahead of the party’s policy conference in April.
The DA is opposed to the implementation of the NHI as it believes that it will not work in South Africa given the country’s dire economic situation, high levels of grand corruption and poor management of state-owned companies.
“There is no way we can afford the additional R280 billion required for the NHI without triggering a flight of both tax revenue and skills that we will never be able to reverse,” said Steenhuisen.
However, on Monday, writing in his weekly column, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa can afford the NHI.
Ramaphosa also made a call to all South Africans, including civil society, to support the introduction of the NHI.
“The introduction of National Health Insurance will be among the most far-reaching acts of social transformation this country has experienced since 1994. We have enough resources in this country to enable every man, woman and child to receive appropriate standardised quality health care,” said Ramaphosa.
“I call on all South Africans to mobilise behind the National Health Insurance and to see it implemented. I call on NGOs, community organisations and civil society at large to rally around the NHI in the same way that they did in the fight against HIV/Aids. I call on the National Department of Health to prepare adequately for the implementation of the NHI. I call on the private sector to join government in seeing the NHI realised. To transform the health care landscape to make it more efficient, cost-effective and value for money requires that we forge strong public-private partnerships for the delivery of services.”
The DA will hold its Policy Conference on 4th and 5th of April 2020.
“In the next few weeks, the Policy Unit will continue to engage with various provincial councils as part on the ongoing internal consultation process. On Friday, 28 February the party will release the framework for the Economic Justice policy as part of our commitment to get as much extensive input as practically possible,” said Steenhuisen.
“The policy conference and subsequent congress are our opportunity to resolve and reset. They are our opportunity to achieve real unity and common purpose. After this process, we will emerge united and stronger. We have built good momentum recently and need to keep building on this momentum by focusing on what matters for the people of South Africa.”
(Compiled by Charles Molele)
