National health insurance planned
2009-03-31 11:15
Johannesburg - The ANC plans to introduce national health insurance in its next term in government, party president Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday.
"The NEC [National Executive Committee] set up a sub committee to work on this plan and even costed it," Zuma told a business breakfast in Johannesburg.
"One of the requirements is health... it is an imperative... we have to find the resources to do it and we are confident that we will do it," he said.
The African National Congress had made plans for national health insurance before the global financial crisis, but the party remained determined to put the plan into action.
"It might not be at a level that it was but we believe we can do it," Zuma said.
Planning the next term
The ANC was looking beyond the elections and planning its next term in government, he said.
The incoming administration would make changes to Cabinet portfolios based on the party's 15 years of experience in government and its priorities in the next five years.
He said some portfolios would be split and there would a planning committee in the presidency to oversee government and its functions. He said this committee would pay attention to those charged with implementing policy.
The performance monitoring structure in the presidency would be "very vigorous", ensuring that national, provincial and local departments were functioning correctly.
It would also ensure that individuals at various levels of government were "working appropriately".
"We believe that the structure will have a very critical role... there is no need for anyone to remain in position if they are not performing," Zuma said.
Responding to a question on the mandate and role of the Reserve Bank in the ANC's next term, Zuma said: "The role of the Reserve Bank would continue... it is not going to change. The Reserve Bank is doing very well."
- SAPA
