Cape Town — The Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, John Steenhuisen, has condemned the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill that’s set to be signed today.
Ramaphosa announced he will be signing the NHI Bill on Wednesday at the Union Buildings. The decision has come with a ton of controversy from medical professionals and opposition parties alike, none more so than DA leader, John Steenhuisen.
In a statement, Steenhuisen said the decision was made out of “political desperation” and said the ANC made the decision as a last-minute attempt to save itself ahead of the elections.
“Out of desperation, it cast around for any populist lever it could pull in the hopes of magically boosting its terminal fortunes. Unfortunately for the people of South Africa, Ramaphosa chose the NHI as the ANC’s last stand before it finally loses power in less than three weeks.” he said.
⛔️ Ramaphosa’s NHI Bill will be a death sentence for South Africa’s healthcare and further burden taxpayers. The DA will be challenging this reckless legislation in court to safeguard our nation’s future.
On 29 May, join us in the fight for a better tomorrow.#RescueSA #StopNHI pic.twitter.com/EfXXK6CV2P
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) May 14, 2024
Steenhuisen labelled Ramaphosa as dishonourable and said the announcement is playing with the lives of all South Africans, calling it a “fatal miscalcuation”
“By signing this bill into law on Wednesday, the ANC will be signing the death warrant of healthcare in South Africa. The visceral and immediate rejection of Ramaphosa’s announcement by the South African people shows that they understand this for what it is.” he said.
Steenhuisen highlighted the increased taxes that would come with the NHI, saying it would cost in excess of R200 billion per year, with some estimates as high as R1 trillion and added that the NHI would be an opportunity for looting and further corruption,
“The ANC’s NHI will achieve none of these things for the 30 million South Africans living in poverty, because it was not designed to serve the poor. Like everything else the ANC has done for the past three decades, it was designed only to enrich the looters who will be in control of the biggest pot of taxpayer money our country has ever seen.”
The DA intends to, upon its signing into law by Ramaphosa, challenge the ANC’s NHI all the way to the Constitutional Court.
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Picture: X/@Our_DA
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
