Democratic Alliance (DA) Chief Whip Siviwe Gwalbe said the National Health Insurance Act would not solve systemic challenges in the country's public healthcare system.
She was reacting to the signing of the National Health Insurance Bill by President Cyril Ramaphosa at Union Buildings earlier today.
The move received mixed reactions from different sectors, with the official opposition party announcing its decision to file a legal challenge.
Gwalbe says the government may be to blame for the collapse of the public health system.
Speaking at the Union Building after the signing ceremony, Mr Gwalbe said this would not change.
“It is wrong that some people go to Baragwanath Hospital and still do not receive quality medical care. It is wrong that babies are dying at Tembisa Hospital, but the government is responsible for that inaction. Yes, two tiers. The system is not what we want, but what we are saying is that if we are going to improve the health system, we first need to talk about how we invest in Tembisa Hospital. We can make sure that these are resolved and that doctors are employed. There are clear systemic problems in the South African health care system that are not being addressed. They are not going to go away.”
Elaborating on the court challenge, Gwalbe said: “What we are doing is that we are currently finalizing the paperwork, our lawyers have been briefed and, of course, we have had input from academics, industry experts and businesses. We knew that the ANC would force this bill through Parliament, as is customary by party academics. It is now up to us to effectively argue in court that this is virtually the only thing that prevents people from receiving quality health care.”
Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr Joe Parra said the government was prepared to argue the NHI bill in court.
Mr Parra was addressing the media at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
A number of organizations, including the DA and Trade Union Solidarity, have threatened to take the bill to court for a variety of reasons, including a lack of proper consultation and a belief that the bill is unaffordable and unsustainable.
“If you look at some of the voters in these organizations, not only do they benefit in that there has been no fundamental change in this area since democracy, but they also benefit from the previous system. You'll see that they feel safe and benefit from the democratic process and build even more assets. Therefore, anything that threatens that comfort will be a challenge for some organizations. ”
Parra said the government is well aware that many people are dissatisfied with the bill.
“This is a really radical departure and therefore when you want to move out of your comfort zone. There's going to be a lot of people who will be unhappy just being in their comfort zone, and people are used to knowing how things are done. But there are also vested interests.”
