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The DA notes Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi’s statement that the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act will be implemented even if it costs the country the Government of National Unity (GNU).

This shocking statement is a clear indication that the Health Minister prises his unimplementable and destructive ideological ideal over a stable government – crucial to reinvigorate the economy to address massive unemployment and the rising cost of living crisis – and the people of South Africa.

The NHI has never been about providing quality health care to South Africans. If that was the goal, the Department of Health would have intervened in the most pressing issues – shortages of medical professionals; dangerous infrastructure; broken equipment; medicine stockouts; corruption; sky-rocketing medico-legal claims; ineptitude – a long time ago.

This has not happened. What has instead been the order of the day was a flawed public participation process that ignored the concerns of medical professionals, health stakeholders, civil society, and the business sector and bulldozed the NHI Bill through Parliament before the elections.

If Minister Motsoaledi is willing to put a unified government at risk for his ideology, then he should not serve in that government.

Issued by Michele Clarke MP - DA Spokesperson on Health