The revolutionary alliance in the Western Cape, constitutive of the African National Congress (ANC), the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) held an alliance secretariat on Monday 2 October 2023. The meeting discussed the preparations for the 2019 ANC Manifesto Review, 2024 general elections, and the recent public hearings on the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill, amongst other key matters. 

*State of readiness towards the 2019 Manifesto Review* 

The alliance secretariat received a comprehensive report about the state of readiness for the 2019 Manifesto Review to be held on Sunday 8 October 2023 in Khayelitsha’s, OR Tambo Hall. The meeting was satisfied that all systems are ready and the mood of our people across the province is encouraging. It appears that the Manifesto Review, which is to be addressed by one the ANC’s national officials and organs of the alliance, will be a resounding success.

*2024 General Elections* 

The alliance secretariat discussed and resolved on the collective approach towards the 2024 general elections. As a basis to ensure that the alliance is united and coherent, a ten aside or alliance political council will be convened in the first weekend of November 2023 to develop a collective political programme of action for the 2024 general elections.

*People Before Profits – Forward to the Implementation of the NHI* 

The alliance secretariat received a report on how the NHI public hearings unfolded in the province. The report suggests that throughout the public hearings there was overwhelming support from our people for the roll-out of NHI. In the public hearings, our people rejected the present healthcare system where on the one hand, about R225 Billion is spent serving 72 percent of the public yet on the other hand, R237 billion is spent on only 27 percent of the population.

Further, public hearings also exposed the fact that certain private medical schemes – with profits in the billions – fear-monger with predictions of unsustainable increases in tax. But these schemes overlook that the average monthly medical aid contribution is R2,104 for an individual, with some schemes charging between R5,000 and R18,000. As the ANC, SACP and COSATU we believe that this is an enormous percentage of most South Africans’ income, especially in households with children. Many South Africans are already ‘taxed’ by medical schemes at eye-watering rates; at present, however, this tax is paid to private companies. With the NHI, our contributions would benefit the public rather than shareholders. 

As a basis to protect private profits and thwart the roll-out of NHI the neo-liberal Democratic Alliance (DA) and some neo-liberal media are calling for more public hearings in the Western Cape. As a revolutionary alliance, the ANC, SACP and COSATU, we reject this call. The DA in particular has no political authority to make such a call as they elected to abstain throughout the public hearing process.

Further, we believe that some calls made by DA leaders in corners that we must rather have universal health coverage (UHC) is nothing but a deflection.

The ANC, SACP and COSATU commends the team of MPLs in the Legislature, led by ANC PEC member and Health Spokesperson, Rachel Windvogel, which includes the ANC Provincial Deputy Secretary, Ayanda Bans and ANC PEC member, Gladys Bakukbaku-Vos for their excellent work on the ground during this process. They were ably supported by our councillors, branches, and regions. We are grateful to the alliance partners, most notably the SACP for their unwavering and focused advocacy work from the very onset.

END 

Issued by ANC, SACP and COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretariat

ANC Provincial Secretary, Neville Delport

SACP Provincial Secretary, Benson Ngqentsu

COSATU Provincial Secretary, Malvern De Bruyn

Inquiries:

Muhammad Khalid Sayed 

ANC Provincial Spokesperson 

076 151 5265