The High Court in Pretoria has directed President Cyril Ramaphosa to provide a written explanation for his decision to sign the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill into law.
The ruling follows a legal challenge brought by the Board of Healthcare Funders and the South African Private Practitioners Forum, who are seeking to halt the bill’s implementation. The court found that the President’s decision is reviewable and ordered him to submit the records and reasons behind his approval of the legislation within 10 days.
Ramaphosa signed the NHI Bill into law last year, despite fierce opposition from various political parties and health organisations, who argue that the policy is financially unsustainable and poses a threat to private healthcare.
The Board of Healthcare Funders welcomed the judgment, calling it a win for constitutional accountability and the rule of law.
The legal challenge marks a critical moment in the unfolding debate around the NHI, which aims to overhaul South Africa’s healthcare system by introducing a state-run fund to provide universal healthcare coverage.