The group announced on Monday that it will soon travel to each of the nine provinces to lay criminal complaints against the various heads of the health departments.

JOHANNESBURG - Lobby group AfriForum has described government's proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme as nothing more than a cash grab to make up for the money lost through corruption and maladministration.

The group announced on Monday that it will soon travel to each of the nine provinces to lay criminal complaints against the various heads of the health departments.

It said departmental annual reports, as well as Auditor General, reports revealed that an estimated R5.8 billion has been misappropriated in the last financial year.

AfriForum’s Monique Taute said they would lay complaints related to the contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.

“It is clear that government’s proposed NHI scheme is politically motivated and that it will not materially improve the health outcomes of the poorest and vulnerable members of society. The misuse of public money is a national crisis and this scheme will only contribute to this crisis.”