Parliament, Thursday, 06 February 2020 – The Portfolio Committee on Health will tomorrow conduct public hearings on the National Insurance (NHI) Bill in George, Garden Route District.
The NHI is intended to achieve universal access to healthcare services in South Africa which is a constitutional right, and it is a financing system that will ensure that citizens of South Africa are provided with essential healthcare services regardless of social standing.
Last week, the committee held public hearings in the Free State and North West provinces where the residents expressed mixed views on the NHI. At all the previous public hearings, the Chairperson of the committee, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo assured the residents that the committee will consider all their submissions and views in Parliament at a time to be determined by the committee.
The committee always emphasises its commitment to meaningful and inclusive public participation process and the fact that public participation is one of the constitutional imperatives and the cornerstone of South Africa’s democratic dispensation. The committee made a commitment of creating a platform for all interested parties across the country to express their views on the Bill, and these hearings are a realisation of that commitment.”
To ensure that all the interested South Africans are afforded an opportunity to participate in the hearings, the committee will hold the hearings in the late afternoon. The committee invites all the interested parties in the Western Cape to attend the hearings and make their contributions on the Bill.
Details of the hearings are as follows:
Garden Route District
Date: Friday, 07 February 2020
Venue: George Civic Centre, 71 York St, Dormehls Drift, George.
Time: 16:30
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, DR SIBONGISENI DHLOMO.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Felicia Lombard (Ms)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8285
Cell: 063 503 2364
E-mail: flombard@parliament.gov.za
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