Hon Chair, the hon Segale-Diswai ... ... moet ook 'n bietjie vashou, want dit is 'n feit dat ons hier in die opposisie ook vir die arm mense omgee. [... needs to hold on a little, since it is a fact that we, here in the opposition, also care about the poor.]
She must remember that the poor are now interracial ... [Interjections.] ... and that there are many black and white people among the poor. We care about all of them. In fact, sometimes things become so bad within the Department of Health that some of your people come to the FF Plus to ask us to intervene on their behalf, and to help in state hospitals. [Interjections.] That is how bad things have become. [Interjections.]
One of the 10 critical actions set out by the National Development Plan is to: phase in National Health Insurance, with a focus on upgrading public health facilities, on producing more health professionals and on reducing the relative costs of private health care.
Die VF Plus is dit eens met die doelwitte om openbare gesondheidsgeriewe op te gradeer, meer gesondheidslui beskikbaar te stel en die koste van gesondheidsdienste in die privaatsektor te verlaag. Die vraag is egter of die Nasionale Gesondheidsversekering, NGV, die regte instrument is om di doelwitte te bereik. In hierdie verband sal ons graag wil verneem of die minister al enige terugvoering ontvang het ten aansien van die 10 loodsprojekte. Dit is van die grootste belang dat goeie navorsing en bona fide-data 'n streng toets is om vas te stel of daar 'n kousale verband tussen die idee van 'n NGV-stelsel en die genoemde doelwitte bestaan. Daar moet 'n wetenskaplike verband tussen die voorgestelde stelsel en die beoogde uitkomste bestaan, by gebreke waarvan die stelsel nie verder oorweeg behoort te word nie.(Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The FF Plus agrees with the objectives of upgrading public health facilities, making more health practitioners available, and reducing the cost of private health care. However, the question remains whether the National Health Insurance, NHI, is the correct instrument for achieving these objectives. In this regard we would like to ask whether the Minister has received any feedback yet regarding the 10 pilot projects.
It is of the greatest importance that thorough research and bona fide data should be a strict test to establish whether a causal relationship exists between the idea of a NHI system and the aforementioned objectives. A scientific connection needs to exist between the proposed system and the envisaged outcomes, in the absence of which the system should not receive any further consideration.]
Further to this, the burden to finance NHI must also be established. Should it finally become apparent that NHI will merely be financed by the existing base of tax-weary individuals, it must be stopped in its tracks. The current tax base cannot entertain any more taxes, and government will instead have to ask itself how it can eradicate barriers to economic growth in order for the tax base to expand. However, in the Minister's budget plan, the following chilling words are stated, "Over the long term, more significant funding will be required and it is anticipated that a tax increase will be needed to fund implementation."
Dit is net meer belasting! Die feit is dat Suid-Afrika se belastingbasis gaan protesteer indien daar net meer van hulle geis word. Suid-Afrika is ook nie ontwikkeld genoeg, in ekonomiese terme, om die NGV-stelsel te implementeer en te finansier nie. Selfs Eerstewreldlande vind dat dit uitdagend is. Die regering moet eerder daarop fokus om die basiese gesondheidsdienste op standaard te kry voordat komplekse stelsels as 'n oplossing gebruik word. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[This just means more taxes! The fact is that South Africa's tax base will protest if it is simply a matter of demanding more from them. In addition, South Africa is not developed enough economically to implement and fund the NHI system. Even First World countries find this challenging. Government should rather focus on getting the basic health services up to standard before complex systems are used as solutions.]
Let's get back to basics and first fix the problems at hand. Too many people still experience state hospitals as a place where one goes to die. The press is filled with horror stories about public sector medical malpractices and the state of disrepair of hospitals and medical equipment.
Hierdie regering is te lief vir groot projekte wat die land kan knak, waarvan die wapenskandaal en die Gautengse e-tol-saga voorbeelde is. Kom ons werk eerder nederig en hard om die bestaande stelsels effektief te maak. Dankie, Voorsitter. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[This government is tending towards large projects that could cripple the country, of which the arms deal scandal and the Gauteng e-tolling saga are examples. Let us rather work in a modest and diligent manner to make the existing systems effective. Thank you, Chairperson.]