8 December 2012
The SACP wishes to emphatically reject the Democratic Alliance (DA) statement castigating the National Health Insurance (NHI) as an unviable proposition. The DA, a party of white supremacy and the rich, casts aspersions and doubt on the Green Paper and the proposals of the NHI. Though we are outraged about this we are however not surprised.
The DA`s statement is simply an affirmation of the DA as a party that is in the pockets of the capitalist vultures in the private capitalist health sector which doesn`t care about the health of the majority of our people other than to profit from their illnesses. As we had always insisted the private capitalist health sector is both inappropriate and unsustainable for our country as it has also recently been confirmed by the World Health Organisation. Clearly the DA does not care about improving the quality of life of ordinary South Africans but are hell-bent on protecting the interests of those who want to make profits out of our people. So the cat has been let out of the bag as the true colours of the DA have been shown through this.
The DA`s disdain for the workers and the poor is further shown by its reckless approach to HIV/AIDS, by turning the process of voluntary counselling and testing into a lotttery. The struggle to defeat the HIV/AIDS cannot be reduced to a money making exercise, but requires solidarity and patient convincing of the majority of our people to check their HIV status.
The challenge facing many South Africans in relation to health remains the twin challenge of accessibility and costs and a to move away from a system that is largely curative and not preventative.
In their rush for political point scoring, the DA has ignored the fact that the basis of the NHI and the Green Paper itself arises out of government’s 10 point plan on health that focuses on the issues of quality and human resources challenges in the public health system. The DA ignores the investment already committed by government to radically improve the infrastructure inequities that have a racial outlook.
The SACP opposes the opportunism of the DA. We abhor their attempts to continue to build a federal system at the expense of the working class and the poor in the Western Cape.
We will continue to campaign and mobilise for the speedy introduction of the NHI in the interest of the poor and the working class. We will continue to oppose disastrous neo liberal experiments as advocated by the DA at the expense of the well being of ordinary South Africans.
The SACP believes that government continues to be responsible for the well being of citizens. The SACP therefore urges the Minister of Health and government not to be distracted by the noise of conservative liberals trying to project themselves as the champions of the poor.
Issued by the SACP
Contact:
Malesela Maleka
SACP Spokesperson – 082 226 1802