The medical schemes regulator has won its bid to replace Sizwe Hosmed’s curator. This successful Sizwe Hosmed curator replacement, according to the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS), will not disrupt the scheme. It also stressed that Sizwe Hosmed remains fully operational. A High Court order handed down on Wednesday in Pretoria confirmed Ian Fleming as curator with immediate effect. He…
Tag: South Africa
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NHI Public Participation Challenge Reshapes Legislative Focus
\n\nGetty Images for Unsplash\n\n\n\nThe shift matters because it could determine the fate of several parallel cases. The court has signalled that if the public participation challenge succeeds, arguments about the President’s decision to sign may become irrelevant. In practical terms, this means the court may delay the most politically charged question – whether Ramaphosa acted rationally when signing the NHI…
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Sizwe Hosmed Curatorship Exposes R522m in Duplicate Claims
South Africa’s medical scheme regulator has escalated its fight to keep Sizwe Hosmed under curatorship. An affidavit filed in the High Court in Pretoria alleges serious governance and payment failures at the troubled scheme. The allegations include potential duplicate claims exceeding R522m, stale claims worth R81m, procurement concerns, and alleged misuse of a corporate credit card. The affidavit was filed…
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Medical Aid Tax Credit Cut Could Reshape SA’s Private Healthcare
South Africa’s healthcare funding model may be nearing a defining break point. The proposed withdrawal of medical aid tax credits, starting with high-income earners in 2026 and extending to all taxpayers by 2027, is framed as a revenue-raising measure to support the National Health Insurance (NHI). But it is also a structural shift in how healthcare is financed. The change…
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Sizwe Hosmed Curatorship Under Fresh Scrutiny
The curator of Sizwe Hosmed responded to critics after they launched legal efforts to liquidate her business and sequester her estate. Lebogang Mpakati, a registered business rescue practitioner, said the proceedings are private matters. She said they have no bearing on her ability to stabilise the troubled medical scheme. Mpakati is facing pressure from the scheme’s suspended board of trustees. The…
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Perinatal Mental Health: Risks and Solutions in Pregnancy
As National Pregnancy Week runs from 3-7 February, the South African Society of Psychiatrists (Sasop) is calling on healthcare providers and expectant mothers to treat perinatal mental health symptoms in pregnancy as urgent medical issues. The society says between 16% and 50% of women in South Africa experience depression or anxiety during pregnancy. It adds that up to one in…
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Human HIV Vaccine Trial Begins With BRILLIANT 011
South Africa has launched its first-ever human HIV vaccine trial. It is a landmark for a country that remains the global epicentre of HIV. The long-term ambition is clear. Scientists want a safe, affordable vaccine given in the first year of life, with no need for repeat doses. The trial, known as BRILLIANT 011, is a first-in-human study. It has…
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Bonitas Tender Dispute: Court Action and Tender Controversy
South Africa’s second-largest open medical scheme, Bonitas, is opposing an urgent court application by Medscheme to block the appointment of two new service providers. The Bonitas Tender Dispute centres on Bonitas’ decision to end a 44-year administration relationship with Medscheme. Medscheme has served as its administrator since 1982. Bonitas, which covers more than 730,000 people, has appointed Momentum to take…
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Bonitas Medscheme Split Sees Momentum and PHA Win Contracts
The Bonitas Medscheme Split has become a major topic in the South African healthcare sector. Bonitas Medical Fund, South Africa’s second-largest open medical scheme, has confirmed a major supplier shake-up. It will end its long-running administration relationship with Medscheme and hand key roles to Momentum Health and Private Health Administrators (PHA). The changes cover all Bonitas options except Boncap, its…
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Mental Health VAT Reform: Cost Trap Deepens Care Gap
South Africans are reporting rising levels of depression and anxiety. Yet access to care is tightening. High out-of-pocket costs and an entrenched shortage of mental health professionals are leaving many people underserved. In particular, those with the greatest need are most affected. A recent advocacy document argues that government VAT rules and medical aid pricing behaviour are actively inflating the…
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HIV ARV Tender Crisis Triggers Parliamentary Scrutiny
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi faces urgent questions in Parliament after two companies holding major government contracts to supply HIV medicines entered business rescue. The concern is immediate and practical. Any disruption to antiretroviral (ARV) supply can lead to missed doses. That raises the risk of treatment failure and drug resistance. South Africa carries the world’s biggest HIV burden. An estimated…