South Africa’s two biggest industry bodies for medical schemes are urging Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to keep medical tax credits in place and increase their value in the upcoming Budget. They argue the credits are critical to keep private cover affordable for working families, especially as costs rise. The call comes as the health department pushes to phase out medical…
Tag: budget
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Medical Aid Tax Credits and Public Health Jobs
South Africa’s public health crisis is no longer only about disease burden. It is also about staffing, budgets and political choices. Furthermore, a new argument gaining traction is that austerity is shrinking frontline services. At the same time, the tax system still cushions households that can afford private cover, especially through benefits like Medical Aid Tax Credits. The government has…
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Boost for Public Health Jobs in South Africa
The South African government has announced a significant financial injection of over R20 billion to revitalise the public health sector. This provides a much-needed boost for public health. This move aims to safeguard thousands of jobs and address critical staff shortages. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana unveiled the allocation while tabling his latest 2025/2026 budget. The National Assembly dubbed this budget…
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NHI’s absence from budget raises questions about its future
While Budget 2025 covered numerous sectors, the notable absence of National Health Insurance (NHI) from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s speech has sparked significant discussion. Despite its omission from the speech, references to NHI are present within the medium-term expenditure framework, signalling its continued, albeit challenged, presence in the government’s long-term plans. NHI: More aspiration than reality? Craig Comrie, CEO of…