... whether the law was passed in a constitutionally sound way. From 5 to 7 May, the Constitutional Court is expected to hear a legal challenge against the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act legislation that could dramatically reshape how healthcare is funded and delivered in South Africa. For supporters, NHI promises fairer access to healthcare. For critics, it raises serious questions ...

... be "substantive" rather than a "tick-box exercise", adding that healthcare systems are highly complex and require proper engagement on issues such as funding, implementation, and governance. Meanwhile, Dr Nicholas Crisp, who oversees aspects of South Africa's NHI implementation, told SABC News that consultation around NHI had been ongoing for more than 20 years and that the Constitutional Court challenge focused ...

... private health sector have rushed to mislead the public on. No section of the NHI has been declared unconstitutional," the department emphasised. The DoH added that it is continuing with preparations for the NHI. "The Department will continue with all necessary health system strengthening preparations for the NHI as the mechanism for South Africa to realise universal healthcare coverage. "This ...

... The National Department of Health says the latest ruling by the Constitutional Court, axing the state's "Certificate of Need", has nothing to do with the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. The department said it will continue with all necessary preparations for the NHI, reinforcing its belief that the system will help South Africa realise its goal of universal healthcare. The ...

... it, healthcare is not something that can be deferred. The challenge, and the opportunity, is to ensure that while the future of NHI is being decided, the health system continues to move forward. Dumisani Bomela is CEO of the Hospital Association of South Africa. ALSO READ: Ramaphosa is head-in-the-clouds over NHI NHI is a fantasy fix for a broken system ...

... assassination. CONTINUE READING: Detained Brown Mogotsi raises complaints about food as bail bid stalls ConCourt rules on controversial certificate key to NHI Picture: iStock South Africa's highest court has dealt a significant blow to the National Health Insurance (NHI) framework, declaring unconstitutional the provisions that allowed the state to dictate where healthcare professionals could practise. This confirmed a High Court ...

... The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has warned that while the NHI has been legally enacted, South Africa's healthcare system faces structural and digital challenges that could affect its implementation. This comes as the government faces several court cases over the NHI Act, including challenges from the Western Cape Government and the Board of Healthcare Funders questioning whether proper public ...

... The Constitutional Court, widely referred to as the Constitutional Court of South Africa or ConCourt, has reserved judgment in the closely watched legal challenge against the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, following two days of intense legal arguments from the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) and the Western Cape government. The applicants are seeking to have the NHI Act declared ...

... Insurance (NHI) Act's procedural foundations can withstand legal scrutiny. The outcome is uncertain. But regardless of the court's decision, any pause in implementation should not be seen as lost time; it is an opportunity to strengthen the system needed to make universal healthcare work. The NHI debate in South Africa has, from its inception, been conducted almost entirely in the ...

... handling of public input. Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and his administration approached the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) in September last year, disputing the validity of the NHI Act, which aims to introduce universal access to healthcare services in South Africa. NHI public participation process in dispute Central to the province's case is the claim that the legislative process failed to ...

... improve efficiency for both health users (patients) and health providers (staff) is equally important. The committee will continue to monitor implementation progress through follow-up engagements and reporting mechanisms. National Health Insurance (NHI) The National Health Insurance (NHI) remains a key policy instrument aimed at achieving universal access to quality healthcare. The committee notes that aspects of the NHI are currently ...

... or profession freely. The certificate of need in the National Health Act has until now been a cornerstone of the government's ambitions to implement the NHI, though the state has been somewhat contradictory on whether the NHI is contingent on the certificate of need being in place. After the high court ruling in July 2024, health minister Aaron Motsoaledi was ...

... public-private contracting, health outcomes and the unglamorous operational work of delivering care at scale. The NHI challenge The first major challenge is policy uncertainty, particularly around the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. Whatever one's view of the design and likely implementation of NHI, it is clear that universal coverage remains the government's goal. This will reshape procurement, infrastructure requirements, service ...

... be "substantive" rather than a "tick-box exercise", adding that healthcare systems are highly complex and require proper engagement on issues such as funding, implementation, and governance. Meanwhile, Dr Nicholas Crisp, who oversees aspects of South Africa's NHI implementation, told SABC News that consultation around NHI had been ongoing for more than 20 years and that the Constitutional Court challenge focused ...

... standards of hygiene, deficient safety equipment, air conditioners, and water supplies, and the inadequate financial systems and controls that lead to resource shortages. The NHI does nothing to improve the operation of public health facilities in this manner." In its Better Health Bill, the IRR offers an alternative to the centralised healthcare that the NHI proposes. Unlike the NHI, the ...

... one assumes that section 33 of the NHI fails the constitutionality hurdle. "Assuming the Constitutional Court is consistent, the big implication could be that the NHI Act is set aside, or sections of it are excised, like has happened with the NHA," Settas said. If section 33 of the NHI Act goes, then the issue with medical schemes being allowed ...

... address the constitutional deficiencies identified by the Court.'Central pillar' of NHI Solidarity welcomed the judgment. In a statement, the organisation said the ruling has implications for the regulatory approach associated with National Health Insurance (NHI). "One of the NHI's central pillars has collapsed today. The certificate of need was far more than merely an administrative instrument. It was an ...

... National Health Insurance (NHI) front. As much as recent cases, and likely future ones to come, will show the unconstitutional nature of NHI (the markets have stopped caring for it as a fiscal risk given the huge and improbable hurdles it must get over to become reality), little airtime has been given to any sort of real alternative. And lest ...

... says. The statement added that the judgment by the Constitutional Court also raised a concern that they too were very worried about - how the NHI reinforced excessive government centralisation, unclear powers and weak safeguards. NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE Public participation process in'frightfully expensive' NHI scheme under scrutiny in ConCourt May 5, 2026 "These qualities do not create access. They ...

... in question were passed by Parliament 23 years ago and have never been brought into effect. Thus, there is no direct impact of the judgement on the NHI as some within the political and private health sector have rushed to mislead the public on. No section of the NHI has been declared unconstitutional. The Department will continue with all necessary ...