NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE

• The National Health Insurance Bill was signed into law, with the Act gazetted soon afterwards. Not yet in force, the new statute:
  • provides for the establishment of a national health insurance fund in which ‘allocated resources’ will be pooled for the purpose of procuring ‘health care services, medicines, health goods and health-related products from certified and accredited health care service providers, health establishments and suppliers’, and
  • will be ‘implemented over two phases’ using ‘a progressive and programmatic approach based on financial resource availability’.
• According to a speech delivered by Health Minister Joe Phaahla during the signing ceremony:
  • work is already under way on regulations for ‘shaping the governance of the … Fund and its enabling structures, and
  • with the aim of ‘encouraging transparency and inclusivity’, these regulations will be released in draft form for public comment.

 

CYBERSECURITY

• The South African Reserve Bank gazetted a directive on cybersecurity and cyber-resilience within the national payment system. In force three months from publication, the directive will apply to:
  • payment institutions
  • payment, clearing and settlement systems
  • payment system financial market infrastructures, and
  • operators within the national payment system.

 

COMPENSATION FOR OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND DISEASES

• The Department of Employment and Labour gazetted for public comment three sets of draft regulations under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries & Diseases Act, 1993. They focus on:
  • a proposed definition of ‘the period of prescription of claims’ seeking, among other things, to provide  for the retrospective consideration of claims in respect of domestic employees:
    • whether reported or not, but
    • submitted within three years from the new regulations’ date of commencement
  • compliance and enforcement inspections, and
  • the mandatory registration of third parties transacting with the Compensation Fund.

 

AIR QUALITY

• The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment gazetted draft regulations on air quality management plans for public comment. Focusing on approved management plans for priority areas. Once in force they will:
  • make the implementation of certain interventions mandatory
  • provide for mechanisms enabling government to monitor and evaluate a plan’s effectiveness, and
  • enable the activation of enforcement measures where non-compliance is identified

 

LIQUOR PRODUCTS

• The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development gazetted a notice calling for public comments on more draft amendments to regulations under the Liquor Products Act, 1989 (updated to 2023). The proposed amendments have implications for a raft of spirits, liqueurs, aperitifs and flavoured spirits.

 

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY SECTOR MASTER PLAN

• The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition issued a media statement announcing the recent launch of a master plan for the medical technology sector – among other things noting:
  • the ‘significant opportunity’ for sector growth provided under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, and
  • the continent’s demand for medical technology – apparently well within the capacity and ‘scope’ of South African producers to meet.

Prepared by Pam Saxby