PSA wants health minister to give clarity on NHI funding

CAPE TOWN - The Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) said that government's plans to tax South Africans every year by an extra R37,000 to fund universal healthcare was an immense burden for workers.

The union is appealing to the government to delay the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) until funding, infrastructure, and staffing shortages are addressed.

The NHI Bill was signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2023.

The PSA said while it supported universal access to healthcare to address inequality, rushed decisions would collapse the healthcare system.

The union's Claude Naiker believes the country is not ready to implement NHI.

"We once again call upon the minister to be transparent and indicate to all South Africans as to how the funding of the NHI will take place, and should ensure that employees are not worse off or burdened with extra taxes to fund the scheme."