IFP's Hlabisa says NHI doomed to fail, load shedding suspension a political ploy

RICHARDS BAY - Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) President Velenkosini Hlabisa says the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, recently signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa will not succeed. 
 
Hlabisa weighed in on the recently signed NHI Bill while addressing thousands of supporters at the party’s closing rally in Richards Bay on Sunday. 
 
Hlabisa said while universal healthcare is something the party is in full support of, the NHI is doomed to fail. 
 
“The recently signed NHI Act is a failure from the start. It will meet legal challenges and it has no funding plan. The single fund administered by the national government will be exposed to corruption.”
 
He said the single fund should be decentralised. 
 
“The IFP believes for a National Health Insurance to be effectively successful and efficient the universal health care must be decentralised to provinces so it can be managed closer to where people are.”
 
Hlabisa slammed the African National Congress (ANC) for trying to woo South Africans into a false sense of security with the introduction of NHI. 

LOAD SHEDDING POLITICAL PLOY

Hlabisa said South Africans shouldn't be naive in thinking that the suspension of load shedding is anything more than a political ploy ahead of elections. 
 
South Africans have enjoyed two months of no power cuts, which Eskom claims is a result of sustained generation performance. 
 
Hlabisa said the suspension of load shedding would be short-lived after citizens make their mark at the polls. 
 
“After 17 years of rolling blackouts, suddenly the lights stay on for 2 months. And every time when we turn on the radio another official is claiming that this has nothing to do with elections.”
 
He said South Africans should not be blindsided. 
 
“The truth is that our country will be immediately thrust back into darkness immediately after elections on Wednesday.”