Cyril Ramaphosa Signs NHI Bill Into Law, Video Gets Negative Reactions From South Africans
- President Cyril Ramaphosa officially signed the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill into law
- This means that as of 15 May 2024, healthcare has become affordable for poorer people across the country
- The CEO of First Care Group, Dr Steven Holt, gave Briefly News his views on the NHI
- South Africans once more voiced fierce opposition to the Act as many believed it would be Ramaphosa's downfall
Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, the State of the Nation Address, politician-related news and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.
Source: Getty Images
PRETORIA – President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially passed the National Health Insurance Bill into law.
Ramaphosa signs bill
Ramaphosa's X page, @CyrilRamaphosa, streamed the event. In the video, Ramaphosa is shown signing the Bill, which is now an Act. The NHI is a system designed to pool funds to ensure health services are available to all South Africans.
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Fierce opposition to the NHI
There has been much opposition to the signing of the Bill into law. A medical student slammed the NHI Act as a recipe for disaster. Nonhlanhla Siwela posted a TikTok video in which she discussed why she did not agree with the Act. She said that nationalising the healthcare system would fail, and she added that countries that tried this were unsuccessful.
Politicians and the business sector fiercely opposed the bill and the Democratic Alliance said it was prepared to challenge the NHI in the Constitutional Court. BOSA's Mmusi Maimane also said the party is considering taking legal action. View the video here:
FirstCare CEO talks to Briefly News
Speaking to Briefly News, Dr Steven Holt, CEO of FirstCare Group, expressed his views on the NHI.
"South Africa has approximately 65 million citizens who all deserve access to healthcare – I do not think anyone will disagree with that sentiment. Indeed, it is a constitutional right. The resistance to the NHI bill is based on reasonable concern and demonstrable proof that the country cannot afford to deliver on the promise of the NHI bill in its current form. One cannot implement the constitutional right to healthcare by removing the constitutional right to freedom of choice," he said.
"In my personal opinion, South Africa could afford NHI if education and employment were solved. NHI could succeed if the existing private services were not destroyed in the creation of the NHI fund. NHI could succeed if it was implemented in a phased approach, using technology like virtual healthcare as the cornerstone of primary healthcare and referral efficiency. NHI could succeed if fraud and corruption were routed out of our government systems."
Netizens frown on the signing of the NHI
South Africans, by and large, were disappointed.
PrepareToMeetGod said:
"You know very well that you are running out of money because of mismanagement and corrupt governance. You even want to stop paying overtime for doctors on call ande clinics don't even have money for basic things."
Stef-KoolAid-Allergy said:
"Loot freely loading."
Geesus REturns said:
"Biggest electioneering strategy I have every seen. With Zuma it was free education. Now it's free healthcare. Too bad the ANC can't run anything without looting."
The Last Stretch said:
"The ANC's main motivation for the NHI is clear: They want to tax South Africans blind to create a R1 trillion fund to loot."
Not yet uhuru said:
"Anything you touch doesn't work. I can bet it will be the case with this NHI."
TikTok video of woman explaining NHI Bill goes viral
In a similar article, Briefly News reported that a woman posted a TikTok video explaining the NHI Bill.
She revealed that South Africans could pay an extra R1 500 in tax for the government to afford the NHI.
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Source: Briefly News
