Health Minister Backs ActionSA’s Calls for Public Servants to Use Public Hospitals, Leaves SA Split

• ActionSA Member of Parliament Dr Kgosi Letlape urged that all public officials use public services going forward
• The Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, shared his thoughts on Letlape's appeal to Parliamentarians
• South Africans shared mixed reactions to the proposal for every official to commit to using public hospitals

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

WESTERN CAPE – The Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has shown support for a call by ActionSA to make it mandatory for all public officials to use public hospitals.

The minister backed the idea by ActionSA Member of Parliament, Dr Kgosi Letlape, who urged that all officials, from the president to public servants, make use of the public hospitals, saying it would help fix the public healthcare system.

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What did Letlape say?

During the debate on the Department of Health’s budget vote in Parliament on Wednesday, 9 July 2025, the Ophthalmic Surgeon asked that everyone support the motion he was going to put forth, which was that everyone there should use public services.

“If we do that, we can fix our public healthcare system,” he said.

How would that improve the system?

Reacting to the calls by Letlape, Motsoaledi said he would support if the government made it mandatory for public officials to use public services, explaining how it would benefit.

The Health Minister stated that funds used for medical aid subsidies could instead be diverted into the department’s budget for services and maintenance.

“Everybody who gets their salary from the fiscus is entitled to subsidies on their medical aid to use private hospitals. That subsidy is R70 billion. Starting from the president to the lowest public servant, they are all subsidised for R70 billion.

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“If there were a policy that they must all use public hospitals, that R70 billion will immediately accrue to the public hospitals and we’ll be able to improve them,” he explained.

What do South Africans make of the idea?

Social media users were divided by the minister’s backing of the idea, with some welcoming it, while others remained doubtful that it would ever happen.

@NewsSnapGlobal said:

“I can’t wait to see this.”

@LincolnLumbe stated:

“It will fall on deaf ears. They love inequality because it enables them to prey upon the poor.”

@LimpopoLadyy suggested:

“And they must queue like everyone else.”

@MsAfrolicious asked:

“How many years has he been a minister, and suddenly he supports it? Yet he used a private hospital a few months back.”

@SikhoPhilani noted:

“He means it. I remember a couple of years ago he underwent an operation at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital.”

@Its_Lifestyle7 stated:

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“Unfortunately, his comrades will ridicule this brilliant proposal.”

@Nakisa0021 said:

“It must start at the legislature. I would love to share the ward with Minister Mantashe.”

@Clinton_M5 added:

“Abandon GEMS and rescue public hospitals using the funds the government is paying for this medical scheme.”

Plans are underway to build three new district hospitals

Briefly News also reported that Dr Motsoaledi noted that there were plans to build three new district hospitals.

The Health Minister said they would be located in Mpumalanga, the North West, and the Northern Cape.

He also dispelled claims that it was foreigners who overcrowd hospitals, saying that 86% of the facilities are being used by locals.

Source: Briefly News