In recent days both President Ramaphosa and a cabinet minister have attributed current issues in South Africa to the legacy of apartheid. Without doubt legacies of apartheid remain in this country almost thirty years after the birth of a democratic and non-racial South Africa. Glaring examples of this are the spatial distribution of South Africans and the significant differential of income and employment amongst South Africans which in large measure remains defined by race. However, can the tragic events of a fire in a “hijacked” Johannesburg building be attributed to apartheid as was done by a cabinet minister? Is the poor state of many municipalities across the country due to the…
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Healthcare … a victim of a self-inflicted government funding malady?
Various questions trouble me when I hear that a public sector health department has a major shortfall in the budget allocation that will result in people being unable to receive the healthcare that they need. Who is accountable? Who is responsible for the consequences? Is it immoral that the cost of healthcare should limit access? Who should decide which treatment should not be provided? What is an acceptable package of healthcare? What can be done to alleviate the problem? I could go on … I have great empathy with a doctor who although the treatment plan is clear must inform the patient that due to affordability constraints that either a particular…