The NHI is an attempt at bridging inequality, if only we trusted our politicians

[View in browser]( [Mail & Guardian]( M&G Mornings | Thu 15 Jun   [Ron Derby] If we are pursuing social justice for all South Africans, then in spirit at least, a National Health Insurance (NHI) is our natural course. Were the state capacitated enough, well governed and with institutions able to deal with corruption that follows all state spending, the bulk of South Africans would embrace the idea of the NHI. Maybe it was only Nelson Mandela’s administration that would’ve passed our tests of valour and we would trust it with our healthcare — which is a sad indictment on administrations that have come after. As our politics stand now, there’s little chance of its success. It’s sad. Without a healthcare solution fit for us all, we are consigned to a life of deepening inequality. There are only four million plus medical aid members in this country of almost 60 million, who will continue to benefit from better healthcare than our fellow countrymen and women with a solution to the structural fault in our healthcare system. This isn’t sustainable. Next week, Mail & Guardian will delve a bit deeper into the question of the NHI and not solely dismiss the cost argument. After all, if the finance minister is told to prioritise health care by us — the electorate — he will. But as long as we don’t trust the government and all our political actors, there’s little chance of that. Ron Derby | Editor-in-Chief [@Ronderby]( [Ramaphosa Biden]( [SA, US both lose if Washington breaks off relations with Pretoria]( The South African government has remained coy over its economic ties with the US, but Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s office has issued a subtle warning to Pretoria [// Read more]( [Graphic-TL-Calland-GrimTrio-Twitter-1200px]( Premium [Time ticks for three horsemen of dystopia – Zuma, Trump and Boris]( The past week has been a good week. All three have suffered serious setbacks, as they have once again been exposed as the cowards they truly are, for all the bravado [// Read more]( [Magashule said that the ruling party would not be likely to vote with the opposition]( Premium [No surprises as Ace plays the UIF card]( From the premiership table to the bush leagues: the ANC’s relegation of Ace Magashule was swift and brutal [// Read more]( Recommended Reads [Flavour Hunter: Sumptuous, simple Istanbul street food]( Food in Turkey’s cultural capital is minimal but massive in flavour [// Read more]( [Denel posts R390 million profit]( The company posted a loss of R1.5 billion in 2020, the same year it last tabled an annual report [// Read more]( [‘This is Jo’burg’ Season 1 Episode 6: Of Pentecostal Noise and Hadedas]( In this episode Charles Leonard examines two types of Jo’burg noise: one made by religious humans in an inner city suburb, the other a familiar avian racket. [// Read more]( [Winnie and Nelson Mandela: The politics of parenting from prison]( An edited excerpt from Jonny Steinberg’s ‘Winnie & Nelson : Portrait of a Marriage’ where their daughter Zindzi visits the jail [// Read more]( [Municipalities still stalling on Special Investigating Unit recommendations]( The Special Investigating Unit is owed R986 million by the state institutions it has investigated [// Read more]( Pic of the day [Sewage_0898_DV (1)] Unprocessed sewage that is sent to farmers to irrigate their crops with that has caused contamination at Rooiwal wastewater treatment works. Photos: Delwyn Verasamy [Share]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Forward]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Mail & Guardian Media LTD · 25 Owl St · Braamfontein · Johannesburg, Gauteng 2001 · South Africa