South Africa’s transition to democracy in 1994 placed a fragmented, racially divided health system in the hands of the new ANC-led government. It quickly moved to transform the health administrations of 10 homelands and four provinces into a single national department and nine provincial departments, in line with the new constitution. However, thirty years later, South Africa still has a health system driven by inequalities; it is as if the income inequality has mapped its way into the duality of the health system. One of the latest approaches to addressing this issue, culminated in the formation of the 2024 National Health Insurance Act, which envisages a consolidated national health fund under state control rather than a competitive insurance market. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the existing public and private healthcare mechanisms? What is the role of collaboration between the public and private sectors? How has health policy evolved since 1994? And is the NHI a practical, good idea? In this podcast, ERSA’s hosts sit down with Andrew Donaldson, a Research Associate at SALDRU, and Tamar Kahn, a journalist for Business Day, to discuss their Policy Paper entitled Health Policy in South Africa from 1994 to Now: towards convergence between public and private health financing. This podcast is not be missed if you are a health economist, or interested in conducting future research in this under-researched area.
