There is nothing wrong with a national health system, but if you are going to force people to pay for it, you'd have to supply a system far better than what we have now, which I doubt will be possible as we have neither the ability nor the expertise to build a half decent national health care system.

If the government was even remotely bothered about the welfare of its citizens, it would get the state hospitals working again. Then there wouldn't be any need for a government medical aid, would there?

Blade, bring it on then. Communism is dead, it failed so many times, and even Cuba and North Korea is changing. Communism has tried to dictate to the Church and God has punihsed it by removing it. You will not win!

I am once again amazed by the logic of Mr. Nzimande and his colleagues. After messing up public health care for 15 years, they now want to take aim at private health care.

They will not admit that the reason for the dismal state of public health care is mismanagement and in some cases corruption.

Instead of first addressing these issues and building a public health sector that provides proper care, they just want more money. If we cannot trust them with what they already have why give them more?

The problem with the ANC is that rather than taking a stand to improve the standards of public health care they would rather drag down private health care to the same dismal level.

Excellence is something they cannot comprehend or implement plans to achieve.

I also think it is most pathetic for a minister to speak of war in a democracy. It is about time they stopped using their silly communist jargon and realised that if it is such a superior plan they will be able to sell it to everybody.

Government might be trying to assist those who are impoverished, but to taking up so much of money from those who are surviving is very unfair. We are already paying so much taxes and now we are expected to pay high medical aid costs - no no no they are losing it.
There are people out there that are well capable of working but having no intention of doing so and made a choice of depending on the government grants - why should i be contributing for such person or should we discontinue our medical aid contribution to qualify for 5% contribution?

Blade - take it all. Get the ANCYL president to be yuor deputy. The debate will be more interesting.

In a first world country where the majority of people are taxpayers and contributors this may work if managed properly, in our third world backwater where 20% of the population fund the other 80% as it is, where on earth is this money going to come from. If this is implemeted, I for one will be cancelling my meical aid not a damn am I going to fund some useless good for nothing

So now the people who want what's due to them, SERVICES DELIVERY are used by opposition parties?? We, the ANC has nothing to do with this, but just want to buy cars with millions and blame others for our incompetence!! Good move Blade "Ntloko" eNzima!!!

Does this not amount to equal distribution of poverty?
... Is there not a NHI antidote for communism?

It is just a new source of income to carry on supporting the gravy train. In tough times every one is looking for a new fresh income source. Those who are first to know the processes of this new national health insurance system, they are one step ahead of sceeming new ways of corrupion. There were the lottery, Land Bank, UIF... And how do the criminals survive? Commit corruption and just say the magic word "sorry". This national health insurance system will not be "for the people", but for income to sponsor the gravy train. It took just a couple of years to demolish the education system, health care system etc. To break systems does not provide the expertise to build up new systems.