AfriForum and other role players deliberate on NHI lawsuits at joint crisis summit

AfriForum is still ready to make a unique contribution to the legal battle against National Health Insurance (NHI), was the organisation’s message at the recent NHI crisis summit organised by Solidarity. The summit was attended by representatives of many organisations and opposition parties, including the Free Market Foundation, Sakeliga, the Institute for Racial Change (IRV), the Freedom Front Plus (VF+), ActionSA and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP). Contributions from the various organisations showed how big and determined the opposition to NHI is and that there is enthusiasm for cooperation between the parties.

The summit took place at a critical time less than two weeks after NHI was ratified as law and a few days before the general election. Various aspects of the legal battle against NHI were discussed, including the possibility of a Constitution Section 80 application by opposition members of the upcoming national assembly, the role of applications and action proceedings, and the various substantive and procedural objections against NHI.

Louis Boshoff, Campaign Officer at AfriForum, stated the organisation’s position and warned that opposition parties and organisations should expect a long legal battle and to instead use the protracted nature of such court cases to their advantage. “For every additional day that a pending court case prevents NHI from being implemented, there is one less day of devastation to the economy and health system, and one more day to build public pressure against NHI.”

The summit ended on a positive note with numerous role players agreeing that there is ample evidence that NHI is unconstitutional and overall optimism prevailing that the harmful law will be overturned.