Chairperson, the hon member must try and keep to a straight line and not make unfounded statements. I am not aware of any one who is connected to me who stands to benefit from any state-owned enterprise. [Interjections.] We must face the issues of corruption as corruption, irrespective of whether it is in the ANC, DA, EFF or whatever. [Interjections.]
The issue that the member is talking about is a matter that was tabled at the launch of the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum. It was raised on the basis of the R22 billion that is being estimated by the Council for Medical Schemes. It was also quoted by the Deputy Minister, John Jefferys. That matter is an issue that was tabled to us as part of what this forum must attend to.
Regarding the rest of the issues that relate to fraud and corruption in the health sector, there has already been some action from the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum. Through this forum, some lawyers in the Eastern Cape who are involved in this particular scam have actually already been arrested. I have just indicated that 81 cases have been reported by five provinces, to ensure that all these people are investigated and acted upon.
By the time the entity that you are talking about gets set up, this forum would have been able to prove that we will be able to deal with corruption in the health sector. We think that is the best forum that you can ever create, because all the players are in the same space.
When you deal with corruption, you must deal with it as corruption as committed by public representatives, and not try and think that we can just score points on it in a cheap way. We must acknowledge that corruption is a serious scourge that this country must get rid of and we are determined to do that whether or not we agree with the opposition and the hon member.
We will deal with it. We will make sure that there is not corruption in NHI and we will make sure that, by the time that
entity is set up, this forum is able to dig up everything that is linked to corruption in the sector, whether it is in the public sector or in the private sector.
So, hon member, please, be assured, we will make sure that there is no corruption in NHI.