BUSA’s Khulekani Mathe on NHI: Collaboration, not conflict, is key to progress
In a candid conversation with BizNews editor Alec Hogg, incoming BUSA CEO Khulekani Mathe discussed the recent breakthrough in talks with President Ramaphosa on National Health Insurance (NHI). While legal challenges loom, Mathe emphasised the importance of constructive dialogue and presented business-driven solutions aimed at bridging gaps and advancing universal healthcare without resorting to the courts
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Extended transcript of the interview ___STEADY_PAYWALL___
Alec Hogg (00:08.402)
Well, the one subject that has got everybody in South Africa paying attention is national health insurance (NHI). Whether you support it or not, we need a solution for universal healthcare in this country that is better than what we have at the moment. But how? Business Unity South Africa's Deputy CEO and incoming Chief Executive, Khulekani Mathe, joins us for an update on this very important development. Khulekani, the fact that BUSA has met with members of the government to start trying to find a solution seems to be a breakthrough. Is it?
Khulekani Mathe (00:55.931)
Thanks, Alec. We are certainly happy that the President granted us an audience as business leaders to table our concerns, which we've been raising for a while, regarding the National Health Insurance Act.
Alec Hogg (01:18.437)
So you met yesterday?
Khulekani Mathe (01:20.805)
Yes, that's correct. We met on Tuesday the 17th—yesterday.
Alec Hogg (01:25.211)
How long was the discussion?
Khulekani Mathe (01:29.723)
The President has very limited time, so the meeting was scheduled for an hour, and it lasted for that duration. This precluded us from going into detailed proposals and suggestions on how to address our concerns. Instead, we primarily discussed the process for moving forward. There just wasn't enough time to flesh out all the details.
Alec Hogg (02:09.296)
Have you had meetings of this kind in the past?
Khulekani Mathe (02:14.597)
We regularly meet with the government on various issues. But as far as the NHI is concerned, this was our first opportunity to meet with the President, and we are very pleased about that.
Alec Hogg (02:28.756)
You've gone straight to the top. Did you mention to him that there are likely to be many lawsuits if the NHI proceeds in its current form? We know that many people believe it's unconstitutional. Is BUSA considering legal action?
Khulekani Mathe (02:51.405)
As you know, Alec, it's never a good negotiating strategy to threaten the other party. We certainly did not go to the government to make threats. Those who have already filed legal challenges are known, and more may follow. But our preference is always to resolve differences through engagement, which is why we sought the meeting with the President. It was a cordial, constructive, and solution-oriented meeting. We left feeling positive about the possibility of addressing our concerns.
Alec Hogg (03:56.136)
What are the next steps?
Khulekani Mathe (03:59.579)
The President has asked business to provide proposals on the concerns we've raised. He is keen to move forward rather than dwell on the problems. Once we submit proposed solutions, we can then decide how to engage further around them. So, the ball is now in our court as business to provide those detailed proposals.
Alec Hogg (04:44.407)
I recently had a fascinating conversation with Dr. Richard Friedland, the CEO of Netcare. He mentioned an old ANC policy from 1998 that was affordable and executable. He's an insider in the industry and believes this policy could bridge the gap between those who want to spend a lot on NHI and those advocating for universal healthcare. Is that part of your analysis?
Khulekani Mathe (05:29.915)
1998, Alec? You were still at Capital Radio back then, weren't you?
Alec Hogg (05:36.343)
Yes, we're going back a bit!
Khulekani Mathe (05:42.435)
Richard was part of the BUSA delegation that met with the President. There wasn't enough time for him to present that proposal in detail, but it will certainly be one of many suggestions we present to the President. What we all agree on is that the current status quo is unsustainable. The President's openness to hearing proposed solutions from us is very encouraging.
Alec Hogg (06:32.291)
To understand how it works practically from here—what are the next steps for business to prepare these proposals? What meetings will take place, and how long might it take?
Khulekani Mathe (06:53.957)
We have had a team working on business submissions related to the NHI legislation, both before and after it was passed in Parliament. This team will now assemble and pull together all the proposals, which are spread across various documents and submissions, into a single document that can be presented to the President. While we haven't committed to specific timelines, it's critical that we do this as quickly as possible without compromising the quality of the outcomes.
Alec Hogg (07:51.323)
Some critics say that while business and government often talk, they rarely find executable solutions. Are you hopeful it will be different this time?
Khulekani Mathe (08:03.103)
I don't share that view, given what we've been able to achieve with government in other areas. For instance, we have a partnership with the government on addressing the energy crisis, transport and logistics challenges, and crime and corruption. This partnership is about implementing actions that lead to tangible outcomes. We intend to bring the same mindset to this issue. The aim is to avoid a situation where legislation gets stuck in court cases. Of course, those who have already filed cases may proceed if they don't feel the process yields desirable outcomes, but we believe we can find common ground and move forward.
Alec Hogg (09:22.439)
To wrap up, do you sense a new openness in government, now that we have more of a government of national unity rather than a single-party majority?
Khulekani Mathe (09:40.729)
Even during the sixth administration, we noticed that the government was more willing to work with us, which is when this partnership started. The President reaffirmed his commitment to this collaboration in the seventh administration. He emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships in his address during the opening of Parliament. We're pleased that this approach continues and hope it benefits the country and economy.
Alec Hogg (10:38.867)
It's always preferable to have dialogue rather than conflict, especially in a country like ours where we need to be pulling in the same direction. Khulekani Mathe is the Deputy CEO and incoming CEO of Business Unity South Africa. I'm Alec Hogg from BizNews.com.
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