DA objects to compromised NHI Bill

Issued by Mariette Pittaway – DA MPL and Whip of the Official Opposition in the Free State Legislature
11 Feb 2020 in Press Statements

National Parliament held two public participation hearings in the Free State on the National Health Insurance Bill (NHI).

By the end of 2019, the DA had submitted almost 100 000 objections to the ANC’s disastrous NHI Scheme.

In January the DA lodged a complaint with the National Health Minister, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, after the MEC of Health in the Free State, Montseng Tsiu, petitioned National Parliament on the implementation of the NHI on behalf of the province, during which leaflets were distributed in the province. It was now brought to our attention that in a second action, the MEC had pamphlets printed by the Department with the logo of the Free State Health Department requesting the public to support this Bill.

Once again the MEC is undermining the parliamentary process and by attempting to influence the process, has compromised the freeness and fairness of the public participation process.  This has blatantly undermined Parliament’s role and the integrity of the legislative processes.

This behaviour, using the cash strapped Department of Health’s resources, is unacceptable.  Clinics are currently out of stock of life sustaining medicines, are understaffed and buildings are falling apart, but the MEC spends money on pamphlets.

The DA in the Free State Legislature have escalated the matter to the DA Shadow Minister of Health, Siviwe Gwarube, in order to expose this unacceptable action at a national level.

The DA has been the only political party that has put up a decent fight against this disastrous Bill and will continue to oppose this Bill and expose attempts to mislead the public and undermine the public participation processes.