ANC’s Legislative Blitz: Election-Year Push Reveals Marxist Underpinnings
President Cyril Ramaphosa signing the National Health Insurance Bill into law at the Union Buildings on Wednesday Picture Jacques Naude Independent Newspapers
Johannesburg, May 22, 2024 — President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill into law, sparking immediate backlash from business, medical, civil-rights organisations, trade unions, and political parties who plan to challenge its constitutionality in court. Critics argue the NHI Bill infringes on citizens’ freedom to choose their medical practitioners and services.
In defence of the bill, Ramaphosa dismissed legitimate criticism, stating, “This is what often happens. The haves don’t want the have-nots to benefit from what they have been having. We are saying, through NHI, all of our people must have equality, there must be equality.” He further claimed that the NHI is instilling fear in “some white people.”
As election season looms, Ramaphosa’s invocation of racial tensions appears to be a diversion from his administration’s failures. Two decades of evidence highlight that the ANC’s policies—marked by cadre deployment, corruption, mismanagement, tender fraud, and theft—have severely degraded South Africa’s public healthcare sector.
The feasibility of the NHI scheme is in question. Experts predict a decade-long implementation period due to its complexity and substantial funding requirements. With South Africa’s massive national debt and crumbling infrastructure, the NHI remains a contentious issue.
Analysts see the signing of the NHI Bill as a strategic, albeit cynical, election manoeuvre. The ANC’s promise of free, quality healthcare for millions, while noble, seems unrealistic given the government’s track record. Despite the theft of billions in taxpayer money, Ramaphosa insists that the NHI will be managed efficiently and honestly.
Funding the NHI will necessitate raising an estimated R250 billion, likely leading to unprecedented tax hikes on already burdened taxpayers. The economic impact could be catastrophic, with medical aid schemes being phased out and citizens’ right to choose their healthcare providers revoked. The state will assign healthcare practitioners and determine their pay rates, potentially triggering a mass exodus of top-tier health professionals from South Africa.
The ANC’s governance has transformed post-apartheid South Africa from a promising democracy into what some describe as a mafia state. Gross maladministration by ANC appointees has contributed to the collapse of once-world-class public institutions and a thriving economy, fueling unemployment, poverty, and widespread misery.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ramaphosa allocated R500 billion to combat the crisis. However, ANC officials quickly engaged in tender fraud, syphoning off billions. Former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize was forced to resign over a corruption scandal, and officials involved in the Tembisa Hospital tender fraud scheme misappropriated over R1 billion, spending it on luxury items. The funds were never recovered, and no high-ranking officials were held accountable.
The administration of the NHI will require a vast and complex bureaucracy, yet the ANC’s track record with similar schemes, such as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and the Road Accident Fund (RAF), raises concerns. Both programmes have been plagued by corruption and mismanagement, leading to significant financial losses without accountability.
In addition to the NHI, the ANC pushed through the Hate Crimes Bill, Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill and the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill (GILAB) amidst significant public opposition. Ramaphosa is expected to sign these bills into law, with several civil-rights groups and political parties preparing court challenges.
The ANC’s rush to enact these controversial bills before the May 29 elections underscores their urgency to secure political gains. Furthermore, the pending ratification of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Pandemic Treaty, which Ramaphosa endorses, threatens national sovereignty over healthcare policy. This treaty grants the WHO control over health emergencies, citizen movements, quarantine enforcement, and surveillance.
As South Africa faces the potential economic fallout of the NHI, a decaying healthcare system, and the encroaching authority of the WHO Pandemic Treaty, the future under an increasingly authoritarian ANC regime looks bleak. The upcoming elections on May 29 present a critical juncture for change.
Source: familypolicyinstitute.com
