“The phrase ‘If it bleeds, it leads’ has long held sway in media circles, and when applied to NHI, it has too often bled perspective dry.” – Olive Shisana TimesLive 28 June
To the media he said:“You are not just storytellers. You are story shapers. You can hold policymakers accountable while also giving voice to the underserved, platforming progress, and illuminating the moral argument behind reform. You can ask: ‘What’s broken?’ — but also, ‘What’s possible?’.”
“NHI will not succeed without the public’s understanding and engagement. And the public cannot engage with what they do not hear or see. So, I invite you — editors, journalists, broadcasters, producers — to reposition and reclaim its role. Tell the truth, but tell the whole truth — frame narratives, which can either build trust or fuel scepticism, amplify voices, especially those often excluded — such as marginalised communities. In essence, your role isn’t just to report on reforms like NHI — you can influence whether society embraces or resists them.”