07 May 2026
TO ALL MEDIA HOUSES
PRESS RELEASE
NO EMBARGO
Al Jama-ah Reaffirms Strong Support for National Health Insurance (NHI)
Al Jama-ah has reaffirmed its strong support for the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI), describing it as a critical step towards achieving equitable and dignified healthcare access for all South Africans.
The party says South Africa’s healthcare system remains deeply unequal, with millions of citizens relying on overburdened public healthcare facilities while quality private healthcare remains inaccessible to the majority of the population.
Al Jama-ah Party Leader Hon Ganief Hendricks said the NHI represents one of the most important social justice interventions since the advent of democracy. “The right to healthcare is enshrined in our Constitution, yet millions of South Africans still face unacceptable barriers to accessing quality medical care. The NHI is about restoring dignity, fairness and equality within our healthcare system”.
Hendricks said the party believes healthcare should never be determined by a person’s income or employment status. “A society cannot claim to be just when the quality of healthcare depends on how much money you have. The NHI seeks to bridge that divide and ensure that every South African has access to essential healthcare services.”
Al Jama-ah acknowledged that implementation of the NHI will require strong governance, transparency and accountability mechanisms, but said these challenges should not derail the broader objective of universal healthcare coverage.
The party further noted that many countries around the world have successfully implemented forms of universal healthcare and that South Africa must move decisively toward a more inclusive healthcare model. “We recognise that reforms of this scale are complex and require careful implementation,” Hendricks added. “However, we cannot continue to preserve a system where healthcare inequality remains one of the defining features of our society.”
Al Jama-ah said he NHI also presents an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between the public and private healthcare sectors while improving healthcare infrastructure and expanding access to medical professionals across underserved communities.
The party called on all stakeholders – including healthcare professionals, policymakers, civil society and the private sector – to work constructively toward ensuring the successful implementation of the NHI.
“This is not simply a healthcare policy,” Hendricks stated. “It is a nation-building initiative aimed at ensuring that every South African, regardless of background or income, can access the healthcare they deserve.”
Al Jama-ah has slammed political parties for delaying the implementation of National Health Insurance.
Issued by Asghar Khan on behalf of Al Jama-ah
For media enquiries contact:
Nisa Hendricks (Media and Marketing Manager)
Cell: 082 613 1917