South African President Cyril Ramaphosa shows the signed bill for National Health Insurance signed into law in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. The bill directs the transformation of the South Africa’s health care system to achieve universal coverage for health services and, through this, overcome critical socio-economic imbalances and inequities of the past.
“In its essence, the National Health Insurance is a commitment to eradicate the stark inequalities that have long determined who in our country receives adequate healthcare and who suffers from neglect,” he said. Concerns have also been raised about the affordability of the law and possible tax increases to fund it.Civil society group AfriForum has also announced plans to challenge the constitutionality of the law, while some business forums have described it as unworkable and unaffordable.