Parliament, Thursday, 28 November 2019 – The Portfolio Committee on Health will over the next four days conduct public hearings on the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill in the Eastern Cape.
The New Brighton’s Nangoza Jebe Hall (former Centenary Hall) in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will host the first leg of the Eastern Cape’s public hearings on the Bill. The hearings are a continuation of the nationwide public participation process to ensure that the bill is strengthened and is reflective of the views of all South Africans.
The Bill is intended to achieve the universal access to healthcare services in South Africa, which is a constitutional right. The NHI is a financing system that will ensure that the citizens of South Africa are provided with essential healthcare regardless of their social standing.
As the committee is going to the Eastern Cape for the public hearings on the Bill, it is mindful of the fact that the entire nation and the Eastern Cape Province in particular is mourning the death of the late AmaXhosa King, King Zwelonke Sigcawu. The committee takes the mourning period seriously and can never under any circumstances undermine or disregard it.
“The preparations for the hearings have been in place for a long time and due to the financial distress the country is facing, it would not have been practical to cancel the hearings. As we traverse the province, we will observe the mourning period and we too, pay our last respect to this great loss of the nation," said Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, the Chairperson of the Committee.
The details of the hearings:
DAY 1
Date: Friday 29/11/2019
Venue: Nangoza Jebe Hall, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth
Time 13:00
Day 2
Date: Saturday 30/11/2019
Venue: Ashley Wyngaard Hall, Victoria Park, Queenstown
Time: 10:00
Day 3
Date: Sunday 01/12/2019
Venue: Mthatha Town Hall, Mthatha
Time; 10:00
Day 4
Date: Monday 02/12/2019
Venue: War Memorial, King Williams Town
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: Malatswa Molepo (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8438
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour