For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: Ramaphosa urges ‘genuine’ public, private health sector collaboration over NHI; Business entities outline risks Middle East conflict poses for South Africa; And, Ramaphosa warns of incomplete liberation if Africans continue to yearn for self-determination

Ramaphosa urges ‘genuine’ public, private health sector collaboration over NHI

President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the public and private health sectors cannot continue to operate in parallel, announcing that in preparation for the National Health Insurance, government is already making significant investments to strengthen public health infrastructure.

Writing his weekly letter to the nation, Ramaphosa noted the skills on display at the public Mankweng Hospital in Limpopo, and said government was committed to replicate the hospital's success.

He praised surgeons at Mankweng Hospital who successfully separated conjoined twins in a complex operation.

Ramaphosa highlighted that this achievement was more than a medical milestone.

He described this as an outcome of sustained national investment in cultivating medical excellence through subsidising the country’s medical schools, providing study bursaries for medical students, and providing on-the-job training through the Internship and Community Services Programme.

Business entities outline risks Middle East conflict poses for South Africa

The war in the Middle East is likely to harm the global economy and South Africa’s government needs to support local businesses in the work to contain the impact, business organisation Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso emphasised in her latest weekly newsletter.

She highlighted concerns about the impact on the fuel price, with the mining sector set to be affected considerably, with costs going up for diesel-dependent road and rail transport, as well as impacting on operating costs at the mines.

Consumers will also be directly affected, constraining spending and confidence, Mavuso warned.

Amid this fragile global environment, with growth risks rising and energy costs climbing, South Africa’s ferrochrome industry is also under severe pressure owing to rising electricity costs, with potential job losses at Glencore and Samancor Chrome underscoring risks to the country’s industrial base.

Nedbank Group Economic Unit’s calculations suggest inflation will breach the upper 4% tolerance band, albeit temporarily.

As a result, the unit believes the Monetary Policy Committee will leave interest rates unchanged at its meeting next week. Moreover, it says it is likely that rates will stay on hold for the rest of the year.

And, Ramaphosa warns of incomplete liberation if Africans continue to yearn for self-determination

In navigating the realities of an increasingly unpredictable global environment, President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged independent nations and citizens of the Southern African Development Community to remain vigilant in the face of emerging challenges that may threaten independence and the stability of the region.

Ramaphosa expressed solidarity with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, who he said continue to be denied the fundamental right to determine their own destiny.

Commemorating the Southern Africa Liberation Day, Ramaphosa urged citizens to continue demonstrating solidarity and to honour liberation heritage and interconnected communities through meaningful and enduring cooperation, through the naming of heritage sites, museums, monuments, streets, buildings, and other institutions after the fallen heroes and heroines of liberation struggles.

He warned commemorating liberation will remain incomplete if some fellow Africans continue to yearn for self-determination.

Ramaphosa highlighted the importance of dialogue and peace to safeguard freedom and said collective work must be done for a just and equitable world.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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