Motsoaledi concerned by racial discrimination against black healthcare providers by medical schemes
Motsoaledi received the long-awaited Section 59 panel report on Monday.
The report exposes procedural unfairness and a power imbalance that disproportionately impacts black medical professionals.
Motsoaledi said the complaints filed in 2019 opened his eyes to some of the injustices.
READ: Panel finds some medical aid schemes racially discriminated against black service providers
'We didn't know that black doctors are being cheated. As I told you, it's a relationship between a doctor and the scheme - we only knew when they came to lodge a claim with the Council of Medical Schemes.
"Me, during our time, these things did not happen because in our time, I told you patients didn't have to sign anything. It just shows that as the system advances, we start to see problems.'
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The South African
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A report by medical aid provider Profmed reveals that while healthcare professionals acknowledge the high cost of private healthcare in South Africa, the vast majority fear that the newly implemented National Health Insurance (NHI) will worsen, rather than improve, the quality of healthcare delivery. The 2025 State of Health Report, based on responses from approximately 1 800 medical professionals, found that 70% of participants are satisfied with the general standard of healthcare – largely due to private sector performance – but 75% have no confidence that the NHI will enhance the system. Profmed CEO Craig Comrie said the high cost of medical aid schemes was highlighted as a major concern, with suggestions that making medical aid mandatory for all formally employed South Africans could reduce costs by up to 30%. However, respondents were also clear that price regulation and broader access must be accompanied by better governance and public sector improvements. Further findings revealed that 60% of respondents had no trust in the public healthcare system, citing understaffing, poor infrastructure, and a lack of accountability. Despite the concerns, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi reaffirmed during his budget vote last week that the government is proceeding with NHI implementation. He said significant funds are being allocated to upgrade public health infrastructure to meet NHI standards. While the government insists that NHI will ensure universal, equitable healthcare access, many healthcare professionals believe that meaningful reform must be coupled with better oversight, financial transparency, and public-private cooperation to be effective. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
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GEMS outlines plans to address discrimination against black healthcare providers
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Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'It is reassuring that the Panel has found no evidence that GEMS acted with racist intent. This distinction is critical - structural outcomes must not be confused with deliberate discrimination. We are committed to continuous improvement, guided by independent oversight of the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) and shaped by trust," said Gems Principal Officer, Dr Stanley Moloabi. Meanwhile, IOL reported that Discovery Health disagreed with the findings. Discovery Health CEO, Dr Ron Whelan, said the conclusions from the investigation are 'based on flawed methodology, unscientific assumptions, and misinterpretation of complex data'. Healthcare workers union, Health & Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (Hospersa), condemned the findings, adding that the report had confirmed the suspicions and personal experiences of many black healthcare professionals, IOL reported. The union called for remuneration and class action litigation against the medical schemes found to have applied such racial profiling, resulting in financial and reputational harm to individuals. 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Will forcing MPs to use public healthcare make it better?
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