This week, President Cyril Ramaphosa opposed Solidarity NHI court application against the recently-ratified National Health Insurance policy.
Ramaphosa has since Solidarity’s position on the policy, officially gave notice that he will oppose Solidarity’s court application against the NHI Act.
The Minister of Health also expressed similar opposition after Solidarity, along with other political parties including the DA and pressure groups, slammed the recently ratified NHI policy as unconstitutional, unworkable, and unaffordable.
The battle lines has since been drawn following Ramaphosa’s decision to sign the bill into law just days ahead of the elections of May 29.
However, Solidarity and other parties opposed to the policy have said NHI deprives healthcare workers and users of choice, leading to less access to quality healthcare in the country.
Ramaphosa’s decision to oppose this policy comes just as he is engaged in Government of National Unity (GNU) talks with Solidarity Chief Executive, Anton van der Bijl saying the battle lines will be drawn as Solidarity will be ready to oppose Ramaphosa on this matter .
“The court battle is now fully under way. While the ANC is in talks about a GNU, the president has shown his hand as far as the NHI is concerned. Numerous political parties have indicated that the scrapping of, or at least drastic amendments to the NHI, is a precondition for participation in coalitions and a government of national unity,” said van der Bijl.
Solidarity’s looming legal battle against Ramaphosa takes place just over two weeks after the onslaught against NHI received a boost from like-minded political parties and civil society organisations gathered for the Solidarity’s NHI Crisis Summit held in Centurion ahead of the elections.
These included political parties, think tanks and pressure groups taking a firm stance at the summit after declaring a war against NHI Act through the courts and other institutions.
Van der Bijl is of the view that the NHI policy of the ANC will affects its GNU talks.
“GNU is now at risk as a result of the government’s defending the NHI, knowing full well that there is serious resistance to it. On 24 May Solidarity served its court papers on the government, and at an NHI crisis summit also called on various political parties and pressure groups to support each other’s actions against the NHI Act, be it through litigation, political processes or civil pressure,” he said.
Van der Bijl has called on parties involved in the GNU talks to oppose NHI and put Ramaphosa under pressure to reverse it.
“Solidarity calls on parties involved in the GNU talks to oppose the NHI and to pressure President Ramaphosa to not proceed with the NHI. Even his own voters have rejected it.
Solidarity and numerous political parties and pressure groups believe the NHI to be unconstitutional as well as being unworkable and unaffordable. Solidarity will challenge the NHI all the way to the highest court because the NHI is totally irrational. It deprives healthcare workers as well as healthcare users of choice,“ he said.
The Star
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za