SACP warns against NHI 'tender hijackers'

Johannesburg -  The SA Communist Party has welcomed the news of pilot sites for the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme but warned against possible "tender hijackers".

"...The NHI is a heavily contested matter and those with different class interests will seek to hijack it... [and turn it] into a possible tender harvesting terrain," party spokesperson Malesela Maleka said in a statement on Sunday.

"We hope government will remain vigilant [and] not be side-tracked."

On Thursday Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced several pilot sites for the scheme.

These included Pretoria, the OR Tambo in the Eastern Cape, Vhembe in Limpopo, Pixley ka Seme in the Northern Cape, Eden in the Western Cape, Dr K Kaunda in the North West and Thabo Mofutsanyane in the Free State.

This was the first phase of a 14-year roll out plan of the NHI.