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I recently signed the National Health Insurance Act in to law, bringing our country one step closer towards universal health coverage. This is a milestone in our quest to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of good health and well-being for all.

For many years, we have had parallel healthcare systems operating in our country. The majority of the population, some 84%, uses public health facilities, while 16% are covered by medical schemes, enabling them to access private health care facilities. A small percentage of people use both.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised the importance of the National Health Insurance (NHI) in providing equal access to healthcare services and addressing inequalities.

This,  as he signed the NHI Bill into law recently. 

“[The Bill] is also about efficiency and quality. The provision of healthcare in this country is currently fragmented, unsustainable and unacceptable,” President Ramaphosa said,  adding that he finally "found his pen" to sign the long-awaited Bill.  

With her husband being lactose-intolerant and her children struggling with eczema, in 2011 Selinah Khutso Ntjana searched for dietary and other alternatives for her family.

Her discovery of goat milk through research would ultimately open her entrepreneurial journey doors. Today she farms goats and produces by-products such as hand and body lotions, lip balm, face and body scrubs, bath salt and soap.

She is also an author.

Before this, her interest in farming had been sparked by her husband Phuti.  

The commemoration of 30 years of democracy provides an opportune moment to reflect on the advancement of our democratic rights. One of our foundational human rights essential to keeping our democracy alive is access to information which is promoted through South African libraries.

Accessing information is crucial for our vibrant democracy especially since our history is marked by an apartheid regime that thrived on secrecy, lack of transparency and accountability which robbed citizens of essential information for making decisions.

The National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) is inviting arts and culture practitioners and registered organisations to apply for the new Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP 5). 

The application period is currently open and will close on 21 June 2024.

During the upcoming national and provincial elections, you can vote at any station countrywide but, if you vote at a station outside the province in which you're registered, you can only cast a vote in the national ballot.

ACROSS

1. Ismangaliso 
2. Squat
3. BA
4. Curate
5. Timetable
6. Tutu
7. Redbull
8. Zone
9. Workers 

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