Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has strongly defended South Africa’s National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, expressing confidence that the state will prevail in ongoing legal challenges against the policy. – Business Day (14 Dec 2025) Speaking at a Universal Health Coverage Day event in Pretoria Motsoaledi rejected claims that the judiciary would be biased against NHI because judges benefit from private medical aid. He criticised opponents for portraying the scheme as “madness” and argued that such rhetoric underestimates the constitutional imperative of universal healthcare. Despite court action from organisations such as the South African Medical Association and the Board of Healthcare Funders, Motsoaledi insisted the government has a strong legal case. He accused private medical schemes of failing even paying members, citing benefit exclusions and funding denials that force patients to seek help from the public sector or communities. To counter concerns about state capacity, Motsoaledi pointed to South Africa’s HIV/AIDS treatment programme as proof that large-scale, equitable healthcare delivery is achievable.
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