Launch of Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday, 01 October 2019, officiate the launch of the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum (HSACF) at the Union Buildings in Tshwane. 

The Forum is a collaboration among various stakeholders in the fight against fraud and corruption in the health sector who will together to prevent, detect and prosecute fraud and corruption. 

The Forum was established following the historic signing of the Presidential Health Summit 2018 Compact which mandated government and social partners to work together to reform the healthcare system. 

The health sector - public and private - is vulnerable to fraud and corruption because of large and varied numbers of transactions on goods and services in terms of fraudulent orders, tender irregularities, fiscal dumping by government departments through non-governmental organisations, bribery, over-pricing, poor governance, transfer of liabilities to the state, and bogus and fraudulent qualifications.

The Presidential Health 2018 Compact also directed that a whistle-blowing policy be developed to ensure the ease of reporting to relevant authorities and that political interference should also be considered as a corrupt activity. 

As South Africa prepares to implement universal health coverage through the National Health Insurance Bill, proactive measures through the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum will serve as a deterrent to ensure the appropriate standards of governance and accountability leading to the full roll-out of NHI. 

At the Launch of the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum, the following stakeholders will sign terms of reference outlining the mutual support and cooperation they will lend towards the fight against fraud and corrupt practices in the healthcare sector: the Special Investigating Unit, the National Department of Health, the Council for Medical Schemes, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Health Funders Association, the Health Professions Council of South Africa, Corruption Watch, the National Prosecutions Authority, Section 27 and the board of Healthcare Funders of Southern Africa.

At the end of the launch event, Forum stakeholders will have a question-and-answer session with media representatives.

The launch of the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum is as follows:
Date: 01 October 2019 
Time: 10:00 (Media to arrive at 09:00) 
Venue: Union Buildings, Tshwane 

Members of the media should send their details including ID/passport number not later than 30 September 2019 at 15h00 to Khutjo Sebata on khutjo@presidency.gov.za or 079 898 4621. 


Media enquiries: Khusela Diko, Spokesperson to the President on 072 854 5707 

Issued by: The Presidency 
Pretoria